Little Things
by SashaFeirce12.0
Summary: I froze, hearing the slight rustling behind me. I could feel my hair standing up on the back of my neck, and I wanted to run. But when I tried, my feet wouldn't move. Fuck, I'm glued to the freaking ground!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Cheri

I hate my life, I really do.

First, my mom dies. So, sure, it was like, twelve years ago. But still. That shit can be traumatizing to a girl like me.

Second, my dad leaves, like, two months after Mom bit the dust. Like literally. He just _pop_! left.

And third, my dad isn't really my dad. I mean for real. He isn't. My dad's in Kansas with another woman and a daughter who's mom is _not _dead. But that's okay. He doesn't even know I'm alive anyway. Well...Not literally. He knows I'm _alive_, he just doesn't know I'm _alive_ alive. Catch my drift? No? Okay.

So, yeah. In a nutshell, Mom's six feet under, Not-my-dad Dad is somewhere _probably_ in the country, and Really-my-dad Dad doesn't know I'm here.

And that is the reason why I hate my life!

Kay, bye.

...

Oh. You're still here.

So like...Should I keep talking to you, or...

"Cheri! Dinner!"

"Not hungry, Sue!"

"Bull crap! You're always hungry! Come down and _eat_."

"Fine."

Well, I guess if you're sticking around, you can hear about the rest of my life.

So, I'm Cheri. Clearwater. Yeah, um...I'm fifteen. I like food. Like, a lot. And I have a fear of large animals.

Which is kind of ironic, too, because half the people I hang out with can change into giant wolves whenever they want to. Should that be added to the other reasons why I hate my life?

"I made your favorite. Look! Sloppy Joes!" Sue exclaimed, gesturing to the food on the table. I silently thanked the higher power for bestowing the gift of culinary genius into my grandmother's body.

"You're the reason why I'm fat, you know."

"You're not _fat_, Cheri."

"Do you see this?" I squealed, squeezing my sides. "That's called _fat_, Sue."

"And do you see _this_?" she asked the same way, grasping my shoulders. "That's called _Cheri_, Cheri."

"I'm fat."

"No you're not. A girl who can still wear a bikini in the summer, and still look good enough to make me yell at them to put more clothes on is not _fat_."

"Yeah, I'm not doing the bikini thing anymore. My butt can't even fit into my one from last year."

"I think that's what they call 'a growth spurt', honey."

"I think that's what they call 'needs a stair master', honey," I said back, taking a huge bite of my Sloppy Joe. I moaned with pleasure, licking the saucy meat from my lips.

"Cheri, you're thin and beautiful. Curse you and your high metabolism. As a matter of fact, remind me to hop in my running shoes when dinner's over. All this sauce goes straight to my thighs if I don't work it off."

"I think that's what they call 'old age', Sue."

"I think your mouth is what they call 'needs soap', Cheri."

"Ouch."

She just shrugged, and we finished off our dinner.

"If there wasn't a man named Louis Tomlinson, I would've been engaged to food by now," I said dreamily, finishing off my sandwich.

"If there wasn't something named commitment, I'd be married to Denzel Washington by now. But, hey. You don't see me complaining," Sue shrugged, smiling at Charlie as he walked in. He kissed her cheek. "Food's in the microwave, honey."

"Thanks. Hey, Cher."

"What up, Charles?"

"Charlie."

"Riiiiiight," I narrowed my eyes and smiled at him. "I'll remember that next time I'm trying to weasel myself out of DUI...Whoops! You weren't supposed to hear that."

"Hear what?" he asked, then winked.

"Sue, can you marry him already?"

"Good_bye_, Cheri!"

"Okay, okay..." I rolled my eyes and left the house, turning on my iPod. The walk to Sam's house is usually short, but I like taking the long way.

Through the deep, dark, mystifying, insect-infested, scary, horrifyingly _beautiful _woods.

Nah, not really. I only take the long way, because I get to go past the beach. It's so pretty in the spring evenings. The waves roll in and out, and I can just stand there and picture how much better it'll look with _me _in them during the summertime.

I have to say, I add a special touch to that beach, I really do.

"Hey, it's Cheri!"

"Think fast, Cher!"

I caught the pillow just as it soared towards my face. I put it down, smirking at my cousin, Willie. He rolled his eyes, and plopped down on the couch with a pout.

"I like it when it hits your face."

"But that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?"

"Um, yeah it would."

"Shut up, ass wipe."

"Mom!" Willie whined.

"Be nice, Cheri," Leah smiled at me.

"But that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" I asked her, sitting down next to Willie. Leah rolled her eyes with a smile. "Cheri smells food. Cheri tummy hungry," I said, whirling around in the comfy chair to face Emily. She smiled, holding out a heaping plate of muffins. I took two, and sat back down.

"One day, all this is going to catch up to me," I said, my mouth full. "Oh, wait." I swallowed. "It already has."

"For the umpteenth time, Cheri. You're not _fat_," Leah exclaimed.

"Riiiiiight," I nodded slowly. "So is there a reason why you guys called me here? ...Or were you just missing me? I mean, I understand if you're missing me and all, but really. I come here, like, every day. So like-"

"Shut up, Cher," Willie rolled his eyes.

"I do _not _have to listen to a twelve-year-old."

"Maybe you should start."

"Ooh, if your mother wasn't here right now..." I hissed. He smirked. So I popped his ear, making him whine to Leah. She sighed and looked at the ceiling as if asking 'Why did I decide to have kids?'

I hear you, Leah. I hear you.

I mean, not saying that _I _have kids. It's just, you know...And the...Yeah, and...

Okay. I'm shutting up now.

"You're here so Sue can have alone time with Charlie," Emily said brightly, grinning at me with that bright little face she does all the time. I mean, for real. Who the heck is this _bright and sunny _all the time, I mean...I know I'm just too beautiful to _not _make people happy, but damn. Give a people a break.

"Oh. A_lone _time..." I waggled my eyebrows and reached for another muffin. "So if _they _get alone time together, then can _I _get some alone time with my other half?"

"Cheri, Lupus Timothy is _not _in love with you," Willie rolled his eyes. I dropped my muffin, my mouth dropping open. I swear, I felt my chin hit the floor.

Stuttering, my eyes widened.

"A...A...A...Oh, _hell_."

Willie smirked at me.

"_Louis Tomlinson_, smartness! _LOUIS FREAKING TOMLINSON_! His name is _not _and never _will be _Lupus Timothy! ARGH! I...I can't believe this!" I shot up off the couch, pacing the room and pulling on my hair. "I can't believe you..._ARGH_!"

"Quit overreacting. It's just some stupid singer that will most likely be old news in the next five years. Get over it," Embry rolled his eyes. I gagged.

"You guys are making me _sick_. He is _not _'some stupid _singer_'. He is the BEST singer in _all _of One Direction, and he is in _love with me_." I looked up. "He just doesn't know it yet...BUT HE'S IN LOVE WITH ME AND ONE DAY WE WILL GET MARRIED AND HAVE CHILDREN NAMED LOUIS JR. AND FARAH!"

"She's delusional," Willie said, exasperated.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go have a mental breakdown," I whimpered, plopping back down on the couch.

_Lupus Timothy, ARGH!_

**So I hope you guys liked this! Review, please!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Cheri

"Cheri!"

I rolled my eyes, not turning around.

"Stephanie."

"It's _Stacy_!" Stacy's chipper voice corrected.

It's freaking 11:00. It's still too early for all that happy crap.

"Isn't that what I said?" I scoffed, moving down the lunch line. I picked up a Jell-O and then grabbed a Gatorade off of the small kiosk. "Kay, bye."

I went to go sit with my friends, but Stacy began following me.

"So like...Are you gonna leave, or...?" I turned to her, coming face to face with her giant forehead. It took all of my willpower not to burst out laughing. It reminded me of the photo of Rihanna that Tony had shared on my wall.

_Shine bright like my five head..._

And to top it all off, home girl had a huge - and I mean _gargantuan _- zit smack dab in the middle of it.

"Whoa there, honey. Ever heard of Proactiv?"

Her bottom lip quivered and she hurried off the other way.

I really don't know what she sees in me, I really don't.

"What's up, bitches?" I greeted my friends, sitting down at our usual table by the windows. Tony smiled at me, his bright white teeth almost blinding me.

Seriously. I _swear _that kid is addicted to those Crest white strips. For real.

Wynter and Nami looked at each other before grinning at me.

"Why does that _freshman _follow you everywhere?" Nami asked, looking at the door where Stacy had went out of.

"I know. I really don't know what she sees in me, for real. I mean, really. I'm ugly and _fat_." I stuffed three French fries in my mouth as I said this, looking at the ceiling. Tony, my on-again off-again boyfriend (we were dating now. Don't worry about it), raised his eyebrows.

"You're gorgeous, Cheri. Shut up," he said. Marlon sauntered up to our table then, sitting down next to him.

These are my friends. My _best _friends.

I've known Nami since I was seven, and Wynter...I don't know. She just kind of popped up. Like winter...The season. One day it'd be all hot and then _bam! _it's cold and snowing.

Nami had short, blond hair cut into a choppy bob. Her bangs were dip dyed an electric blue color, and she had bright brown eyes. Her skin wasn't as deep in the russet tone as everyone else's because she was only half Quileute. Like me. She was pretty. And damn, she knew it.

Wynter's hair was long - to the middle of her back. She always wore her black tresses in a small bump and braid, and was easily the most stylish girl I knew. She liked going on frequent shopping trips, and was constantly trying out new things. Like today; her outfit was all edgy. All her peircings were filled; three in each ear, a stud on her nose, and a ring on her eyebrow. She had on super ripped jeans and high heeled ankle boots, with a biker jacket and a tight black shirt.

Damn, if I wore that out the house, Sue would kill me for sure.

Marlon and Tony...They're cool. I can joke with them both equally, and they treated me like one of them. The guys.

Marlon was like those really athletic guys that liked being adventurous. He had a lot of muscles. Not as extreme as the Pack, but still pretty ripped. He's nice, though. A real flirt, too. It could be annoying at times, but, hey. When are people _not _annoying?

Tony...Tony, Tony, _Tony_. When I first met him, I thought he was gay. But then he kissed me. So I knew he wasn't. He was my first kiss. That was back when we were thirteen. The two of us had been inseparable since.

He's cute. Like..._Really _attractive. We go out sometimes, and then we're a couple for, like, a week. But then I get tired of being a couple, and we're friends. I like him a lot, like really. (Even more than Louis Tomlinson. Shocking, I know.) We've been going out now for about three days.

I give it about...Eh...Five more.

And then there's me. And I have to admit, I was pretty hot for a sophomore. Fat...But still hot. My hair's always been long and curly, and my eyes have always been big and blue. I recently got one blue streak at the same time Nami dyed her bangs. Umm...I like looking good, I guess. But I didn't go to extremes like Wynter.

So, yeah. Those are my friends. We hang together all the time. We piss each other off, we laugh, we cry...You know. Friend stuff.

So, um...Okay.

Wow. I am _really _awkward.

Let's just...Go back to everyone else.

"What're we doing this weekend?" Nami asked, taking a bite out of her pizza.

"Get naked. Watch some porn. You know. The usual," Marlon shrugged. Wynter scoffed and pushed him as hard as she could, making him laugh. She tried to hide her smile but failed. Which did _not _go unnoticed by _moi_.

I elbowed her, waggling my eyebrows. She looked down and tried to hide her blush.

Wynter liked Marlon. Like, a lot.

Everyone knew it. We just liked to humor her, saying that _I _was the only one that knew.

"Well, the fams and I are having a bonfire this evening. Why don't you guys come around so I'm not subject to hanging with my little cousin all night?" I asked, taking a sip of Gatorade. The guys looked at each other and then nodded.

"Your uncles are hot, Cher," Nami squealed.

"Umm...Okay?"

"They _are_! Are they going to be there tonight?" she asked excitedly. I nodded slowly and she squealed. "I like the young-kind-of-babyish one, and oh, the-"

"Nami, do something for me, kay?" Tony asked.

"Okay."

"Drink some of this." He handed her his water bottle, and Nami frowned.

"What'd you do to it...?"

"Nothing! You just...Seemed a little thirsty, is all," he said. A sly smile curled up onto his lips.

"To_ny_!" Nami hit his arm, and he and Marlon started laughing. I giggled, and Wynter laughed, too. Nami just rolled her eyes.

"They're all taken, Nami Baby," I said apologetically.

"Whatever."

We walked out of the lunchroom together. Tony, Wynter, and I all had - _ACK _- gym together, and Nami and Marlon waved to us. They had Spanish together.

In gym, we had to run. And run. And..._run_.

"I." Pant. "Hate." Pant. "_Runninnnnng_!" I groaned. I felt like I could cough up my insides at any second. "Why is gym a _requirement_!?"

"Cher, we've only gone, like, fifty feet," Tony smirked, slowing down next to me. Wynter soared past us, saluting as she weaved in between everyone else.

"FUCK YOU AND YOUR ATHLETIC _BODY_!" I yelled at her, flipping her my finger.

"Calm down, Cheri," Tony chuckled.

"I." Pant. "Can't." Pant. "Go." Pant. "_Anymore_!"

I dropped to my knees and planted my face into the track.

"AAAAAAUGGGGHHHH!"

"Come on, Cheri!" Tony encouraged. "You only have a little bit left!"

"Three more laps is _not _what I call 'a little bit left.'"

"Actually, we only had to do one-"

"Carry me."

"The things I do for love."

"Umm, no. You're doing it to avoid death."

"Like I said; love."

"Just carry me! Gently, man! _Gent_ly!"

Tony picked me up and carried me on his back, running the rest of the lap.

"So like...If anyone asks, I fell and injured myself. Good plan. Good plan."

"Sure thing."

"Have I ever told you you're my best friend?"

"I'm your boyfriend..."

"Well, you're my _bestest_ friend, Tony Tiger." I kissed the top of his head.

"What about the others?"

"Shh, shh...Don't tell them. What happens on the track stays on the track."

"Amen."

When we approached the coach, I groaned.

"I fell so hard, Coach! It hurts so _bad_!"

"She did fall pretty hard. On her face," Tony said. I kicked him. He didn't have to add that.

"Oh, well...Sit out for the soccer game. See how you feel then."

Aww. I actually kind of like soccer. NOT!

Anything athletic, I try to avoid like the plague. It's just one of the _many _other reasons why I am fat. And I will remain fat for the rest of my life.

OBESE AND PROUD!

"Cheri, you're not fat, okay? If you were fat, I don't think I would've been able to carry you," Tony told me, leading me to the bleachers. I shielded my eyes from the sun - whoa, _sun _- to look at him.

"Riiiiiight."

"Seriously, though. What size do you wear?"

"Umm...That is classified information." He eyed me. "Five."

"See? You're below ten. You're overreacting!"

"SHEILDS, get your butt over here _now_!" Coach yelled. I smirked, and Tony rolled his eyes before jogging over to the teacher. I leaned on the second bleacher with my elbows.

I don't care what he says. I'm _fat_. Okay? I know I am. Willie tells me all the time.

Yes, yes. I know. I listen to a twelve-year-old. But, hey. That kid's _vicious_.

0000000000000000000000

"Wynter, hurry _up_!" I yelled, throwing a stick at her window. She thrust her head out.

"TWO MINUTES!" she shrieked. The guys groaned from the truck, and Nami rolled her eyes. I picked up another stick.

"WYNTERRRRR!"

"What? I'm ready," she snorted, coming out the front door. Her hair was down and straight. She wore a letterman jacket, a tank top, jeans, and sneakers.

This is the most casual I've ever seen her, honest.

"You made us wait for fifteen minutes so you can change into _that_?" Tony asked.

"What? Is it bad? I could-"

"NO!" we all yelled at the same time. Marlon jumped out of the truck, hoisted her over his shoulder, and threw her in the truck bed.

"We're leaving. Now," he said, patting her shoulder. She giggled.

At the beach, my family was already grilling. Jacob and some of the other guys were playing soccer, and Sam was grilling burgers and hotdogs. Leah was talking with the ladies, and then she stood up and ran to play with Jacob and Willie.

It was ridiculous to think that everyone was in their thirties. They all looked so young.

Too young.

It's freaky.

Everyone looked up when me and my wild group of friends made our presence known. I smiled and we sat down in the sand next to each other.

"These must be the all-too-famous Furious Five we've heard so much about," Emily smiled. I rolled my eyes. Nami elbowed me.

"'Furious Five?' Isn't that from, like, _Kung Fu Panda_?"

"Got a problem with that?"

"It's stupid."

"It's _creative_."

"I'm Nami," Nami said, holding out her hand to Emily. Wynter waved.

"Wynter."

"Marlon."

"I'm Tony." He grinned.

"I'm Emily. I'm happy you're friends with our little Cherry-Berry. Keep her out of trouble," Emily winked.

"_Emily_!" I groaned.

"Oh, yes! We do, actually. We help her with homework, do some volunteering..." Marlon grinned. "Only the best for _Cheri_."

"Aren't you wonderful?" Emily smiled.

"Thank you, ma'am," Marlon nodded.

"Shut up, Mar," I rolled my eyes. Tony wrapped his arm around me, kissing my cheek. I smirked, turning so he could kiss my lips. After that, I laid my head on his lap and started playing with his hoodie. Marlon, Nami, and Wynter started a conversation about _Adventure Time _(I may be fifteen, but that show is the shit!), and we started being stupid.

Like we always were.

"For real! She was all..." Wynter stood up, imitating Lumpy Space Princess. "_My lumps!_" She turned around and swayed her but. "_My lumps!" _

I fell back on Tony's lap, laughing so hard my sides started to hurt.

"Remember that-" Nami stopped to let out giggles. "-episode where there was, like, a zombie invasion? My favorite thing she says is 'Oh, no. I am not gettin' eaten by zombies tonight,'" she said in the perfect Lumpy Space Princess Voice.

I couldn't breathe, I was laughing so hard. No sound was coming out of my mouth, and I was crying. I finally calmed down when I heard Willie say my name. I looked at him upside down.

"What?"

"Mom wants to know if you and your friends are hungry?"

"Is that really a question?" Nami asked, narrowing her eyes playfully at my cousin. His eyes landed on her, and he turned a faint shade of pink. He smiled.

"Well, uh...You know, she was, uh..."

"EWW! Wil_lie_, she's like, three years older than you! Crush on someone your own age! _Leah_!" I screeched.

"I have a Frisbee in the truck. You guys wanna toss it around for a while?" Marlon asked. Wynter nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! Come on, guys! It'll be fun!"

"I thought we were eating...?" I moaned from Tony's lap. He chuckled and pulled me up.

Five minutes later, I was tackling Wynter to the ground to try and get the Frisbee from her. She screamed, and then broke down into laughter. It fell from her hands, and Marlon picked it up. Nami ran after him, and he threw it to Tony.

I stood and ran to get it from him, but he held it out of my way. I narrowed my eyes, and tickled under his armpit.

Tony Tiger is _major _ticklish.

He broke out into laughter and tried to get away, making it possible for me to grab the Frisbee and run away with it. But - darn, that second doughnut I had for snack - he caught up to me. He picked me up, tickling my sides and swinging me around.

"Tsunami! _Catch_!" I cried in the midst of my laughter, throwing it to Nami. She caught it cleanly, and ran all the way to the line in the sand that we called our goal. She threw it down and Wynter joined her in a crazy touchdown dance.

"Who's bad? Who's bad? Oh, yeah! Who's bad?" Wynter chanted, making faces and dancing like she was in Beyoncé's _Single Ladies _video.

"Tsunami Nami, what? Tsunami Nami, what?!" Nami chanted. I wriggled out of Tony's grasp to join them with my awesome twerking skills.

"_To the window, to the walls! To the sweat drop down my balls! To all these bitches crawl, yeah! ALL THESE BITCHES CRAWL!" _I continued dancing, Wynter and Nami acting as my back up.

Marlon and Tony looked at each other, amused.

"It was one point, you act like you just won the game!" Marlon exclaimed. I stopped dancing.

"Only 'cause we did! _Duh_!"

"It only just-"

"DINNER TIME!" I yelled, cutting him off.

"You're something else, Clearwater," he laughed. I stuck my tongue out at him, and took Tony's hand. I led them over to the grill, and we all got burgers. Well, except Wynter. She declared that 'she was an individual' so she got a hotdog.

Yeah, I don't know either.

We sat down and ate, and I explained to them what we usually do now.

"This is the part when we tell the legends. You know, right?" I asked. Everyone nodded. "Yeah, well Billy Black tells them like _killer_. He's amazing when it comes to the legends," I smiled. Tony wrapped an arm me, and I laid on his shoulder.

Sam went to sit by Emily, and he eyed Tony's arm. I rolled my eyes, kissing his cheek and then giving Sam a look. I looked around afterwards.

"Where's Billy? He's usually the highlight of my night," I said. Sam looked at everyone, making me frown. "What...?"

"We're skipping legends tonight, Cher," Sam said. I pouted.

"So you mean I brought all my friends out here for nothing? Thanks, guys. Thanks _bunches_."

"Shut up, Cheri. I'm having fun! This beats our movie nights for sure!" Wynter winked at me.

"I liked movie nights..." Marlon frowned.

"Not saying that I _don't _like them...!" Wynter said quickly. Marlon laughed and punched her shoulder playfully.

"Just kidding with you, Winnie," he chuckled. Wynter grinned.

"Billy's going to be here any minute. He has a visitor with him," Leah said, fidgeting with her hands.

Leah doesn't fidget.

Something was up.

I sat upright, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Cheri!"

"Billy!"

I turned around, and grinned at the man who was like my grandfather. He rolled up in his wheelchair, grinning at me. My own grin faded when I saw who was walking with him.

He looked different. But the same. I couldn't exactly place what was different, but it was something...Something.

"Cheri," Not-my-dad Dad said. He smiled at me.

I felt my nose tingle, and tears flooded to my eyes. I threw my half-eaten burger at him and scurried off of the picnic blanket. As mad as I could (which is hard, really, cause I'm in sand), I stomped away, ignoring the shouts of my friends as I left.

**There it is! Review, please!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Cheri

I ran as fast as I could (which, pathetically, isn't as fast as you would think), to get away from him. I heard Tony calling my name, but I didn't stop. I got tired, though, and slowed down to a stop. He wasn't as out of breath as me, and we stood there. Me and my heavy breathing not facing him, and him and his hotness self staring at me pitifully.

"Go." Pant. "Away." Pant. Pant. Pant.

"Cher..."

"I." Pant. "I don't want you here right n-now," I said. Then I coughed, trying to get oxygen to my fiery lungs.

_Wow, I am _really _out of shape, aren't I? Maybe I shouldn't have had that extra burger..._

"Cheri, it's okay!" Tony reassured me. I whirled around to face him, ready to screech an 'It will never be okay, Tony!' into his face, but instead, all that came out was a sharp clucking sound. I clamped a hand over my mouth, and I felt tears in my eyes. I blinked, trying to keep them from falling, but it was no use.

"Cheri...Cher, no..." Tony sighed. I heard the rustle of the grass and leaves as he walked towards me, but I moved away, shaking my head. More rustling, but I still moved away.

"Let me just...Let me just be alone right now. I'm sorry I ruined your night," I choked out. Then I turned and ran off again.

Tears flew off my cheeks as I ran. It felt cold in places where there was water, but I didn't care. It almost felt good.

Why the hell was he back?!

But...

It's funny. For all my life...I thought I wanted him back. Sure, he wasn't my real father, but he was the only one I knew. And I loved him. But then he left. I remember, on my birthdays, when Sue would say 'make a wish, Cherry-Berry' and then I'd close my eyes tight...And chant over and over again in my head _bring Daddy back, bring Daddy back..._

Then I'd puff my cheeks out and blow out the candles. And I'd open my eyes...

But my wish wouldn't come true.

I'm beginning to think that what happened just now with him coming back had something to do with my fifteenth birthday wish.

'Make a wish, Cheri,' Sue smiled.

I closed my eyes tight, and chanted over and over again: _have sex with me Louis Tomlinson, have sex with me Louis Tomlinson..._

Then I puffed out my cheeks and blew out the candles. And I opened my eyes.

And...The wish didn't come true.

So _maybe_, now that for _once _I stopped wishing for something that I'd thought I wanted, it came true!

Ugh...

Have I mentioned to you how much I hate my life?

No?

Well I hate it. I really, _really _do.

I slammed the door to my house shut, and ran up the stairs. My stomach felt like someone was stabbing it over and over again with a knife, and my head pounded.

_Too many burgers..._

I laid on my bed, curling my knees into my chest. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but it didn't come. All I could feel was the pain in my stomach, and my head.

Later, I heard noise downstairs. But I didn't move. They wouldn't bother me.

Or, at least they better not. If they don't want to get their faces pounded in with Cheri Clearwater's fists, they won't.

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Nami

I let myself in to the Clearwater's house, the guys following me. Tony looked beyond worried, and he hurried in front of me up to Cheri's room. I sighed, seeing her laid on the bed in a little ball. Tony sat down next to her, fingering her hair.

Marlon stayed quiet (for once), sitting down in 'his' beanbag chair in the corner of the room. Wynter sat at Cheri's desk chair. I got on my knees by Cheri's bed and shook her.

"Come on, Cher. Let's go to the corner store and raid their freezers and stuff. Bring it home, cook it up, watch some old '70s horror movies," I suggested. That was her favorite thing to do on Friday nights.

Instead of hopping up in joy, she tucked her head deeper into her body and mumbled something that I couldn't hear.

"Is this because that dude showed up to the bonfire? Why are you overreacting, anyway?" Marlon asked, standing up. "C'mon..."

"That 'dude' is her dad, Arrowhead," I said to Marlon. "He left her when she was a kid. Been gone twelve years," I added quietly. That shut him up. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Hey, Cher, let's go through the closet and put on all the clothes we can find! We can take pictures, and stuff...?" Wynter suggested. That was Cher's second favorite thing to do on Friday nights. Sometimes Saturdays, it really depended on Her Highness's mood.

Tony moved her hair away, leaned down, and kissed her temple.

"Guys...I think it's best if we leave her alone to get her head around things," he said quietly. I didn't want to leave my friend - one of my _best _friends, to be exact - but I know that he was right. I looked at Marlon and Wynter, who in turn exchanged glances of their own.

Before leaving, we each gave our Baby Cheri kisses on her cheek. She'd never let us say it, but she was like our baby sister. We watched and took care of her like she was our own, because we knew she'd do the same for us.

I waited for Tony, who was whispering something in her ear. He gave her one last, lingering kiss, and then followed me out of the house.

0000000000000000000000000000000

Seth

"I feel so bad."

"You should. Did you really think that she was going to be jumping for joy at the sight of you?" Leah asked me. I sighed, knowing she was right. Taking a drag from my cigarette, I looked up. Leah coughed.

"I thought you were done with those?"

"Twelve years changes things, Leah," I replied, taking another drag. I ran a hand through my hair and then blew out the smoke. I let out a cough myself, and Leah sighed. "You think she'll want to see me soon?" I asked hopefully.

"Cheri? As hardheaded and bitchy as she is, I'm not so sure."

I growled at her comment.

"Bitch? Don't call her that," I spat.

"I'm just calling her what she calls herself," she answered. "For real. She calls herself a bitch, her friends, _everyone_, Baby Bro."

"Hm."

"She also calls herself ugly, fat, whore...Not to mention obese...We're actually thinking about sending her to a counselor. She puts herself down pretty bad."

"And I suppose you think it's my fault?"

No answer.

"Okay. My fault," I rolled my eyes and put out my cigarette. Standing up, I looked back at Leah. "I'm going to go see her. She upstairs?"

"Her room is my old one."

"Wish me luck?"

"No. Whatever happens, you brought upon yourself."

"You've really changed, you know that?"

"Twelve years changes things, Seth," she mimicked my voice from earlier. I smiled at her and then disappeared into the house.

I went up the stairs to Leah's old room, and found Mom sitting down on the bed. Cheri - damn, I can't believe how big she's gotten - was curled up on it. Mom moved away her hair and pressed a hand to her head, pulling away quickly.

"Cher, you're burning up!" she cried, hopping to her feet. "Cheri! Cher, do you hear me? _Cheri_!"

Mom turned around, meeting my eyes.

"Take her to the car, Seth. Hurry up!" she ordered. I rushed over and picked Cheri up, noticing that Mom was right about her burning up. Her head hung limply from the crook of my arm, and she opened up her eyes the tiniest bit. Then they closed again.

"Hurry _up_!" Mom screeched.

The next thing I knew, I was in a waiting room at the hospital, watching my daughter get rolled down the hallway by Carlisle and other doctors. Mom paced the floor frantically, fingering her hair.

It was shorter now, and white at the roots. She seemed a little thinner than I remembered her, too. But she was still Mom. My mother. Beautiful, no matter what.

Leah came in from outside.

"I called Jake. He's staying with Willie. Some of the Pack is on their way, and Heaven's coming over, too."

I sat down, trying to keep myself from phasing. I didn't know what they were doing to Cheri back there, but whatever it was - and no matter how many times I told myself that they were helping her - I felt that it was bad.

"Mom, sit down," Leah pleaded.

"No. No, no, no, no, _no_. I can't..." she sobbed. "My baby's back there..."

Embry walked in, Heaven's hand held tightly in his. Heaven looked so much older. I noticed a diamond on her finger, and she was very, _very _pregnant. On the hand that wasn't holding Embry's, she held the hand of a boy that looked to be about four or five.

"Where is she? How is she? Is she alright?" Heaven asked frantically, rushing over.

"C-Carlisle said it's her appendix. Th-they're operating right now," Mom answered, still pacing. Embry let go of his imprint's hand to lead her to a seat. She sat down, wringing her hands.

"Emerson, come here. Sit on Aunty Leah's lap," Leah said to the little boy. He rushed over, climbing onto my sister's lap where he latched onto her and laid his head on her stomach. Leah pulled away, and tweaked his nose.

"Leah," she said.

"Leah," the boy repeated.

"Loves."

"Loves."

"Emerson."

"Leah."

My sister giggled and smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She hugged the boy closer, rocking him back and forth. Cue a young man. He rushed in, skidding to a stop when he saw us.

"Tony!" Mom cried, rushing out of her seat. Embry looked at the ceiling. I turned to who Mom was hugging.

"I-I-I...I knew something was wrong, Mrs. C...I coulda..." Tony was stammering. I cocked my head and narrowed my eyes, looking at him closely.

"She's in surgery right now," Mom said quietly. Tony's eyes widened, and he looked even more worried and scared than he did before.

"S-_Surgery_?" he whispered. Mom nodded and hugged him again. He didn't hug her back, but stared straight ahead.

"Who's he?" I asked Embry. He looked at me, then back at Mom and the Tony kid.

"Cheri's boyfriend," he answered. I swear, my heart dropped to hell at that moment. I growled, and stood up, breaking the handles of the chair.

After that I stalked outside, not even bothering to take my clothes off before I phased.

000000000000000000000000000

Cheri

All I could feel was pain.

Which is really saying something, because usually the only thing I feel is hungry. Or horny. But don't worry, because that's only when Tony teases me with kisses. Cause you know-

Eh...Never mind. I'll save the nasty details for another time.

...This is the part where I wink seductively. Damn, play along, will you?

_Beep. B-beep. Beep._

Okay, who invited the annoying parking truck into my room? Like, seriously?! What is life right now? I mean, _come on_!

_Beep. B-beep. Beep._

Holy freaking mother of a cow, shut _up_.

_Beep. B-beep. Beep._

Without opening my heavy eyelids, I yelled, "SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I PUNCH YOU INTO NEXT YEAR, YOU STUPID MOTHERFUCKING _TRUCK_!"

But in reality, it came out sounding more like, "Mmm...Ohhhh...Mm-Mmm..._Ahhh_..."

Dude, I sound like I'm having an orgasm, or something. Like, wow.

"Cheri?"

"HOLY FREAKING SHIT, _WHAT_?!" I screamed. Again, it came out sounding all orgasm-y.

I forced my eyes open, a bright white light flooding my vision. I felt a dreamy smile creep onto my face when a head appeared.

"Louis...?" I squeaked. Everything came into focus, and the smile disappeared. Instead of Louis Tomlinson - or Tony. I would've _loved _to see Tony right now - it was not-my-dad Dad.

"Ugh..." groaned. "My stomach..._Ugh_."

"She's okay!" I heard Sue cry. She threw herself on me, and I let out a yelp in pain when her arm hit my stomach. I felt like someone had just stabbed me with knife and left it there.

"Dude! Get _off_!" I yelled. And this time, thankfully, it didn't sound like I was having sex. "That hurts!"

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry! I forgot about your stitches. Carlisle says that you'll need to be on bed rest for the next few days, and take it easy. You just had surgery only a few hours ago."

"Surgery? So like..." I gasped. "Did I get gastric bypass?! I didn't say I _wanted _it, but I'm not complaining-"

"Your appendix burst," not-my-dad Dad cut me off. I rolled my head to give him a blank stare, and a smile creeped onto his face. I rolled my eyes, looking back at Sue.

"You gave us all quite a scare, sweetie," she told me.

"Good." I smiled. "But _seriously_. This situation would be so much better if I'd just come out of gastric bypass, or something, then came face to face with Louis Tomlinson. Then he'd sing-"

"Cheri!"

"Cher!"

"Fuck, I'm gonna kill you!"

My head rolled to the door, and I smiled as my friends rushed in. Wynter had a giant card in her hands, and Tony had a _huge _bouquet of flowers in his. I grinned at him, and then Nami made my grin widen when I saw the bag of McDonald's in her grasp. Marlon saluted me and nodded.

"You fucking scared me! Ugh, _Cheri_! Don't...! Next time your appendix bursts, TELL US _please_!" Wynter screeched.

"You only have _one _appendix, smartness," Nami said, rolling her eyes. "Once it's gone, you can't get that back."

"Oh...We made you a card!" Wynter said happily.

"We _bought _you a card," Nami corrected.

"I paid," Marlon smiled.

"I also brought McDonald's. Big Mac, right?" Nami winked. Marlon jumped in front of her.

"I paid."

"And these are for you," Tony held out the flowers. A giant rose and baby's breath bouquet. It was really beautiful.

Maybe better if My Louis was giving it to me in person...But, hey. I'd take Tony Tiger any day.

"I..." Marlon started to say, but Tony eyed him dangerously. "He paid."

I giggled, but then cringed at the sharp pain through my stomach then.

"Stop! _Augh_! It hurts, doesn't it?! Quit making her hurt, guys! She's a fragile little person, you know!" Wynter shrieked, hitting Marlon's arm. He rolled his eyes.

People tend to do that when Wynter gets dramatic.

"I'm fine. Really," I reassured her. She looked skeptical. With all the strength I had - and, really. I mean a hell of a lot - I reached my arms out for my boyfriend.

"Gently, man! _Gent_ly," I said. He leaned down and kissed me, giving me a small hug.

Seth - I'm just gonna call him that now. I'm pissed at that guy - growled, making everyone jump and look at him. Sue made a motion for him to leave the room, which he did.

He slammed the door so hard, I swear he just created a new continent with all the shaking the room did.

"Umm...I'll just leave you guys alone," Sue said. She gave us all a forced smile, getting up and leaving the room.

"I swear, your family gets weirder by the day," Nami said, making me smile. "Fry?"

She took out a golden French fry, holding it out to me. I wanted to eat one, but strangely...I wasn't hungry.

Holy crap, _what's wrong with me?!_

"Oh, my _God_, she's delusional. Cheri! _Cheri_! What'd they do to you, _Cheri_!" Wynter screeched, she shook me and I sucked in a breath at the pain that shot through my abdomen. Tony pulled her off.

"I'm still here, gol_ly_. I'm just...Not hungry."

"...You're starting to scare _me_ now," Marlon said. I smiled tiredly at him, and Tony clutched my hand. He smiled at me, and I smiled back, closing my eyes for a second.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Like a bitch."

"Good to know," he chuckled, then he looked at everyone. "She sounds like Cheri. I think we're good, guys."

"Dude, we were like, so worried about you," Wynter suddenly exclaimed.

"I know. I heard you the first fifty-thousand times," I said sarcastically.

"But I can't express the feeling enough, Cher!"

"Oh. Well, sorry."

"Did it hurt before? Or do you not remember?" Nami asked.

"Well...When we were playing Frisbee, my stomach hurt a little bit...But I thought it was just period cramps." I shrugged. "And then when...Yeah. When I got home, that's when I really started to feel it. After that...I guess I fell asleep." I shrugged again.

It was quiet for a few minutes, the only sound the heart monitor next to me.

That was when the door opened, and a nurse walked in.

"Visiting hours are over, but they start up again at seven until ten tonight," she said with a smile. The five of us groaned together.

"Can't we stay?" Wynter whined.

"I'm sorry, but unless you're a part of her biological family-"

"We are! We're sisters!" Nami exclaimed. Wynter nodded.

"I'm her...Brother...?" Marlon said. Or, asked. He wasn't good at lying under pressure.

"Boyfriend," Tony said. "That's basically like a relative, right?"

"Yeah, nice try, kids," the nurse smiled with a nod. "Come on. Miss Clearwater needs her rest. We'll see you again tonight."

"NOOO! What the hell are we going to do for eight hours without _Cheri_?!" Wynter exclaimed.

"Out, children," the nurse gestured elaborately out the door.

I pulled Tony down by his collar, giving him a long kiss before pushing him off.

"I'll manage without you. Go on, before you're banned for good," I said. He smiled at me, setting the flowers on my bedside table. Nami put down the card, telling me she'd save my McDonald's for when she came back.

"And you better be hungry," she scolded. "Because if you're not, I might just have to call the government."

"Aye, aye, captain," I saluted her with a small smile. She, Wynter, and Marlon hugged and kissed me goodbye, and went out the door with one last wave.

After that, I fell asleep.

Yeah. Really, there's nothing else important. I just fell asleep.

Kay, bye.

00000000000000000000000

If I thought the pain in the hospital was bad, it was _nothing _compared to what I felt right now. Holy crap, I feel like my stomach is being run over by a monster truck driven by the fattest man in the world. Really. It was that bad.

The fact that I've had like, no sleep, doesn't help much either.

_Or _that I can't hold down any food. Ooh, I think that's the worst.

But, hey. Maybe that was just karma, because I've been such a bad girl in the past when it came to eating.

Yeah. Let's go with that.

I had to drink this glass of whitish stuff every day to keep healthy until I can eat food again. It tastes like shit. Like, for real. I think I'd be better off eating grass than the stuff Sue mixes in my glass.

It hurt to move. Standing up was so bad, and actually, I wasn't supposed to be doing it. Sue was always concerned that I'd rip my stitches, so I didn't do it much. But when I did...

_Oucccchhh..._

The only times I moved was when Seth came to sit by me, or start a conversation...Like he was trying to now.

"So, Cher...? How's school?" he asked awkwardly. I grabbed a hold of the armrest of the loveseat, and hoisted myself up, cringing and whining as I did so. Finally, I made my way slowly up to my room (I had a bigger and better TV in there anyway).

On the last stair before the upstairs hallway (Wow, I'm already out of breath. Maybe when I heal, I should get a personal trainer, or something...Nah!), I heard Sue say to Seth: "Give it time, honey. She's still hurting."

Let's go ahead and agree that she was talking about my surgery. Cause this shit _hurts _like _hell_.

Because there was nothing good on TV, I decided to sit down and practice my singing. Because one day, Louis Tomlinson is going to call me and tell me that I'm going to sing on stage with him at his concert. So until that day, I had to be ready.

It was kind of hard to practice sitting down and in pain. Usually, I'm up cleaning my room, something. The pain in my stomach was keeping me from breathing correctly, so on those long notes, I had to end short.

I gritted my teeth together, and stood up to go to my closet and organize it, singing _Rehab_.

"_...I ain't got the time, and if my daddy says I'm fine. He tried to make me go to rehab, but I won't go, go, go_!"

Not to toot my own horn, or anything, but I sing actually really good for someone who just came out of the hospital not even twenty-four hours ago.

"_I'd rather be at home with Ray...I ain't got seventy days! Cause there's nothing, nothing you can't teach me. That I can't learn from Mr. Hathaway...!_"

I organized my closet from darks to lights, humming the rest of the song.

"_I ain't got a lot in class...But I know it don't come in a shot glass..._" I closed the doors then, and walked slowly back to my bed.

Surgery _sucks_. I'm telling you, don't let your appendix burst. It's not fun. But you know what _is _fun? Getting-

"Hey."

Seth snapped me out of my thoughts, and I huffed out a breath, making my bangs fly up and out of my face. With much pain, I stood up again, and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

Two seconds later, I walked back in, folding my arms over my chest.

"This is my room," I murmured.

"Me and your Aunt Leah had some good times in here," he sighed.

"Look, your conversation starters suck, okay? Can you just leave so I can _heal _in _peace_?" I spat.

"Cheri..." he sighed again. "I'm...I'm sorry, okay? I was young and stupid."

"Now you're old and stupid."

"Ouch," he chuckled.

"You can't just _come _back after twelve years and think that everything is all fine and dandy, because it isn't, okay? That hurt, you know, when you left," I added quietly. "I thought you didn't love me."

"I did! I-I-I _do_! You're my-"

"No, I'm not your daughter, _Seth_. My dad's name is Kaden and he lives Kansas with a wife and a daughter. I know. I called him once."

Silence.

"I hate you," I murmured.

"I know."

And then I smiled. And then I giggled.

Holy crap, _why _am I giggling?

"That's the greatest thing you've said to me all week," I replied quietly.

Oh. So that's why I'm giggling.

Come to think of it, I don't think that I really hated Seth. I think it was just all those feelings of betrayal that I'd felt bubbling up inside of me, so I played it off as hatred.

Wow, I read too many 'Just Girly Things' quotes.

Seth can never know this though. That I don't hate him anymore.

"Leave my room, please," I said, wiping the smile off my face.

"I want to talk," he said sternly.

"Do you, or do you _not _want to see me naked?" I gripped my jeans, ready to pull them down.

"I'm going to go for a walk," he said, leaving the room.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out, bitch," I told him.

Wow, _I'm _a bitch. Whoo...Umm...Maybe that was a bit harsh. Where the hell did that come from, anyway?

After closing my door, I stripped down to just a bra and panties then I looked at myself in my mirror.

My stitches looked so nasty on my un-tanned olive colored skin. Diseasable. Yuck.

I gripped the fat hanging off the sides of myself, and frowned. There was more, I _swear_. This...This was _ugly_. So incredibly _ugly_.

I really need to get a treadmill, or something. Like, for real.

_"See? You're below ten. You're overreacting!" _Tony's voice rang through my ears.

Size. Five.

It could go up to, like, a fifteen in a month if I wasn't careful! And being all handicapped at the moment wasn't helping my exercise regimen at all.

Cause, you know, I totally have one.

"Wow..."

I whipped around, and smiled when I saw Tony at the window. I always left it unlocked for him and the others. He wolf whistled, swinging one of his legs over the sill.

"Shut up," I rolled my eyes.

"I find stitches really attractive. Very sexy," he smiled slyly at me.

"I'm in pain. Quit making me horny," I whined, waving him off. I went to my drawer, pulling on a really big sweater. Then I carefully sat down next to Tony on the window sill, leaning my head on his chest. He kissed the top of my head, and we looked out at the forest together. From my second story bedroom, we could see over the tops to First Beach and the cliffs.

"PDA!"

Tony and I looked down at Quil, who smirked and waved at us. I flipped the bird at him, and he only laughed before running off into the forest most likely for patrol.

"Your uncles are cool," Tony chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah," I giggled a little bit before cringing.

"Dammit, you freak me out when you do that," he hissed.

"It's not my fault that my stitches are all enflamed and shit!" I elbowed him.

It took a whole week to heal and get back to my old self. I was more than grateful to give up those nasty milkshake things that I had to eat and switch it up for a big slice of pizza and fries. I ate the whole refrigerator today, like literally. Sue came home so mad, and I was on the ground satisfied.

"You're lucky I was going to go grocery shopping, young lady," she scolded me. I burped.

"Ooh, and can you remember to get Hot Pockets? Yeah. We're out," I told her, wagging my finger in the air. Sue only scoffed and went to go shower.

Wow, at this rate, by this time next week I should be fatter than the Fattest Man!

Isn't it great?!

I rolled my eyes, covering my face with my hands.

"Cheri, honey," I said to myself. "It's time to get your shit together."

**Blah, blahhhh! This was kind of like a filler chapter, and the ending was crap, but review please! Thankss!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	4. Chapter 4

**Omigosh! I'm SOOOO sorry that it's been so long since I've updated! :( I could blame it on a lot of things, but I like my writer's block excuse, so we'll just go with that ha-ha. ANYWAY, I've made this chapter nice and long, so it can make up for missed time! **

**Oh, and there was a question about if Cher was **_**really **_**fat or not. She's not. She's just out of shape. Answer your question? I thought it'd be funny to make her like this, because in most stories, the girl is always this athletic Amazon that prances around La Push and gets imprinted on. It's different, y'know?**

**Anyway...!**

**Enjoy!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

Chapter Four

"Holy crap, I'm gonna _die_!"

"Come on, Cher! You can do it!"

"No! No more!"

"Dude, you've only done two!"

"And that's two too many, Winnie!"

Wynter moved away, letting me sit up. I took a long drink from my water bottle, then wiped the water away from my chin.

"So like...I think we're making excellent progress today," I grinned at my friend, who looked at the ceiling of the gym.

"Two sit ups, and a three minute jog is _not _what I call _progress_. Cher, we've been doing this for a week. I thought you'd be at least up to a half hour jog by now."

"What? Can't take my pace? You gotta step up your game, Winnie. Come on now." I snapped twice in her face, and she swatted my hand away. "But, hey. I'm injured here, what do you expect?"

"You got your appendix out almost a month ago, Cher."

"Don't judge me!"

"Who said I was?"

"I'm bored. Let's go to Sue's diner!"

"You can't eat anything fatty after a gym workout. Water and f-"

"Blah, blah, blah. Ugh, it's _Friday_! All I've had this week is _fruit_ and - _ack_! - VEGETABLES! I've gone vegetarian in a meat-eating home! It's horrendous!"

"This is the detox. Next week, you can eat all you want. Come on, Cher-Bear. We wanna lose five pounds this week, right?"

"...Yeah."

"So..._Three more days_, is all I'm asking of you. _Three_."

"Fine." I pouted. Wynter pulled me up to my feet with a laugh, and dragged me to the locker room.

"C'mere. Let's weigh ourselves."

"_Whyy_...?"

"Because..."

I watched as Wynter stepped onto the scale, waiting for it to calculate her weight. It beeped and she looked down, cocking her head.

"One...Ten..." she said, dragging out the letters. She looked up. "It's pretty good. I've maintained my weight for the past six months! Isn't that great? If I lose anymore, I'll be invisible."

I stepped on the scale after she stepped off, closing my eyes.

"It beeped."

"I know."

"You're not gonna look?"

"Uh-uh." I shook my head.

"Come on."

"No."

"Look."

"No."

"I'll look for you and scream out the numbers-"

"I'm looking!" I whined, opening my eyes. Wynter snickered as I eyed the numbers on the little screen.

One twenty-two.

Ew.

"Ugh. Why can't I be thin like you?"

"Cher, that's not bad! Actually, you're in the healthy category!"

"But look at this flab! I want..._That_!"

I gestured to her body, which had no flab or anything. She was toned and gorgeous.

"It doesn't take a week to get this. It takes time. And eating right. And _exercise_."

"I'm totally allergic to that word, I _swear_."

"Let's get our stuff and go. I think you need a break."

"Those are the most beautiful words anyone's ever said to me."

In Wynter's car, I plugged in my iPod and turned it up as loud as it could go. Wynter turned it down, then I huffed and turned it up again. This game went on for a while until Wynter finally pulled out my iPod and set it in the back seat.

"How're things with your dad?"

"Fuck you, let me listen to my music, bitch."

"Your vocabulary is just smashing," Winnie giggled. I looked out the window. "Anyway...Real talk, girl. How're things?"

"Fine."

"No they're not."

"Yeah they are."

"Cheri, talk to me. The guys and I are worried about you!" She patted my shoulder.

"...Well...I've gotten kind of used to him being around, but...I guess it's weird, you know? I haven't seen the guy in twelve years, and then he shows up expecting me to love him again. Well, dammit, it's not that easy!"

"Mhm. Girl, preach," Wynter replied, doing a neck roll. She turned onto my street and pulled up to my house. There he was...Seth. Sitting on the roof smoking like he usually does.

But what made me mad was that it was _my _roof spot. That spot practically has my name written all over it! I planted a flag there that declared that territory _mine _and _mine only_. He's going to contaminate it with his chemicals!

"Dude, your pops is gonna kill himself."

"I know, he needs to quit smoking," I snorted.

"No, I don't mean that. He's going to fall off the roof, land in the bushes, a twig is going to go into his back, and then he'll snap his neck and die from lack of air!" Wynter cried. I stared at her.

"Now that's...That's over thinking things there, honey."

"But you know it'll happen!"

"Riiiiiight...Well...See you later, Miss One-Ten!"

"Don't make a cow moo, One Twenty-Two!"

I stared at her again. She grinned at me.

"No."

"Okay..."

I kissed her cheek with a laugh, then got out of the car. Wynter honked and drove off, in which case I placed my hands on my hips and looked up at Seth.

He seemed off in his own little world sitting up there. He was looking off into the sky, and the smoke from his cigarette moved around him like a halo.

"That shit will kill you," I called, looking up at him still. He jumped a little, as if just realizing that I was there. He gave me a small smile.

"What do you know about death?"

"_Enough_."

"Hm."

He took a long drag, running his hands through his hair.

"Do me a favor?" he asked. I thought about it.

"No."

"Ouch. I was going to tell you never to do drugs, but, okay."

"And I was going to tell you to get off my roof, but...Get off. Now."

"Aye-aye, captain."

"Sarcasm will not be tolerated here."

"Alright..."

I watched him scoot to the edge of the roof and jump down, landing cleanly on his feet.

"Dude, are you, like, part cat or something?"

"Dog, Cheri. _Dog_," he laughed. "You sound like your mom."

"Okay." I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, you smell like shit."

"It's smoke."

"Go wash."

"Okay. Come on inside."

"Don't tell me what to do! Let's go inside."

He laughed as I led the way into the house.

"Sue working?" he asked.

"Duh."

"Great, that means I have to play chef."

"You cook?"

"Just because I'm a guy, doesn't mean I can't cook."

"Cool. Don't burn the house down."

"I'll try."

"You kill me, Seth."

"I try."

"What _don't _you try?"

"Mmm...Chrystal meth."

"Keep on smoking, and you're well on your way, kiddo."

My comment made him chuckle, and he walked into the kitchen. He coughed once, and I cringed slightly.

"What do you want for lunch?" he asked.

"It's just gonna be an endless plethora of fruit today," I muttered, going to the refrigerator to take out the bowl of grapes. I popped one in my mouth and sat down at the table. Seth moved around the kitchen like he was a male version of Sue.

Ugh. Well, _duh_, stupid. He _is _her son.

I watched him put some noodles into a pot to drain, and then he started making sauce. I paused, a grape halfway in my mouth.

_Lord_, that smelled _amazing_.

He mixed the noodles with the sauce and stirred it together, pouring in a bit of milk. He kept stirring, then turned the stove off, going to get a plate and fork. He put his lunch onto the plate, placed the used dishes into the sink, and then got a glass of water.

He sat down and began to eat. I huffed and threw a grape at him. It popped off his nose and landed in the middle of his pasta. He quirked a brow and looked up, and I took the liberty of throwing three more grapes. I lifted another one.

"I dare you," he smirked. I threw it at his cheek, and he moved just in time to catch it in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. "Done?"

"Fuck you and your delicious looking pasta," I hissed.

"Wow. Such...Colorful language you have."

"The better to hurt you with, my dear."

"Why won't you eat what I cooked, Red Riding Hood? I mean, you saw me make it. I didn't _poison _it or anything." He laughed.

"I didn't say you did. I'm _detoxing _with Wynter. So I can't eat real food till...Monday."

"Cool."

"In a twisted, fucked up kind of way."

"Okay, you've exceeded your cursing limit for today."

"Bite me."

"Anymore words under the category of _vulgar language _will cost you a dollar."

"Swerve, I don't got money like that! If anything, you should pay _me _for every day you missed of my life!"

Silence.

Ooh, got 'em there.

00000000000000000000000000000

Leah

With my mind, I tried to tell my leg to stop bouncing up and down, but it wasn't working.

_Well that's dandy_, I thought. I started chewing on my thumbnail, my leg still bouncing. I only stopped when I heard my name being called.

"Leah Black?" the nurse said sweetly. Her voice held a twinge of pity and sympathy, but I ignored it.

You get used to it, you know?

"The doctor will be right with you," she said with a smile, leaving me alone on a bed behind a curtain. I swung my legs back and forth, pursing my lips together. Finally, when I couldn't take sitting anymore, I stood up and walked over to the sink.

It had a large mirror above it, and I couldn't help but look at myself. I turned from side to side, placing a hand on my stomach. Then I turned back to just facing the front.

I pursed my lips together, wrapping my arms around my body.

"Leah?"

I jumped, turning around and smiling at Dr. Cullen. I always requested him; he was a good doctor for a leech.

"Sit down."

Fuck. Bad news. I know it's bad news.

He gave me a sad smile, and I looked down. Then I looked at the ceiling, putting my hands on my face.

"Leah..."

"I know, I know. I've heard it before. Thanks, Carlisle."

"Really-"

"No. It's okay. I'll be fine. We'll...We'll be okay."

"Are you sure? You don't look well. Are you-"

"I'm _fine_! Really! I'll see you later."

I grabbed my purse and yanked open the curtain, padding out of the hospital. I made it to my car in silence, started it, and then drove home.

Willie was playing out front with Sam, tossing a football around. I got out, not looking at them.

"Hey, Mom! I'm trying out for the school's football team! Isn't that cool?" Willie asked excitedly. I brushed passed him, walking into the house and closing the door. But not before I heard him say, "Geez, learn to control your excitement, Mother."

I gasped for air, trying to keep my tears back. Jacob came down the stairs, and I smelled the faint scent of his Axe body soap.

"Lee?" he asked, rushing over to me. He gripped my shoulders. "Leah...!"

I looked deep into his eyes, and shook my head.

"Oh...Leah..." he sighed, and then hugged me. "It's okay, Lee."

"No! No, no...It's not!" I cried.

"Leah, we were blessed with William. Really, truly blessed, honey. As long as I got you two, I don't mind if we can't have any more kids."

"But I want to! I really, _really _want to," I sobbed.

"I know, baby. I know. But we're going to be okay. Alright? Alright, babe?"

I was quiet, sniffing and gripping his shirt into my fists for dear life.

"We've been trying for ten years," I whispered so quietly, even _I _could barely hear it. Jacob sighed again, rubbing my back with his hand in circles.

"We can't give up, Leah. We can...We can always try again?"

"But it's getting so...Frustratingly em_barrassing _going back there all the time and get bad news!" I cried. "I hate it!"

"I know..."

"No, you don't. All you gotta do is stick your dick up my body and hope for the best. _I'm _the one that has to go to the doctor and get bad news all the time!" I screeched. After that, I pushed away and stomped down the hall towards our room.

I slammed the door shut and collapsed onto the floor, continuing to sob. Before long, I heard the front door open and close. I sniffed, being quiet so I could listen. When I heard nothing, I stood up and went into the adjoining bathroom, closing and locking the door.

Quietly but quickly, I sank to my knees by the toilet and opened the lid. I stuck two fingers down my throat, gagging immediately. It took two more times, but I finally got to the point where I didn't need to force myself to vomit anymore. It came up almost every time I told my stomach to.

When nothing more came out, I pushed hard on my stomach and grabbed my toothbrush, putting that down my throat. I coughed and gagged, throwing the toothbrush away. Then I flushed to toilet, stood, and washed out my mouth.

I'm not telling anyone this time. I need to be more careful this time, too.

No one can find out...

This secret I've been keeping for the past two years.

I'm bulimic again.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Cheri

Seth's jaw tightened, and he looked past me, up at something on the wall. It was silent except for the _chick-tick _of the clock, and the neighbor kids playing outside.

Damn, those kids can _scream_.

This is another reason why I'm waiting until I'm at least thirty-five before I have kids. Better yet...Make it forty. My life will basically be over, and I can just hand them off to someone else when I'm dying because of all the stress they put on me.

...

Wow, I'm such a bitch.

But, hey, you get used to it.

I watched Seth for a few more minutes before I dragged me and my bored, fat ass up the stairs.

And, yes, I brought the bowl of grapes with me.

Hey. Girl's gotta eat.

Not even fifteen minutes later, I smelled cigarette smoke from my open window. I gagged, and walked to it. Sure enough, Seth was sitting out on the picnic table with a pack of cigarettes next to him.

If he doesn't die before his time,_ I _will from all these fumes.

I mean, come _on_! Like what is life right now, seriously?

"Dude, your house stinks," Tony said, walking into my room. "Heyy...Come back from the gym?" he waggled his eyebrows, looking at my body. I had on calf length leggings and a Beatles t-shirt. "That's hot. Wanna touch your toes for me? Wait, turn around first."

"_Ew_! You're such a perve." I threw one of my pillows at him, which he caught effortlessly.

"Okay, but seriously. Since when does Sue puff tobacco?"

"Since Seth came," I said with an eye roll.

"You're not joking? Sue's a smoker?"

"No! My..._dad _you idiot!"

"Oh. Makes sense. Come on, Cher. I know he left you alone for a while, but you don't gotta sound so disgusted when you say his name. That's your pops."

I was going to say 'he's not' but thought better of it. I loved Tony, but I didn't feel up to any story times at the moment.

"Sorry. It's just one of those things you really can't _just_ _get over_."

"You'll come around soon enough, Cher." He smiled at me.

"Why'd you come over?"

"I can't come and see my girlfriend whenever I want to? Wow, that's just cold."

"Aww..." I smiled, hugging him and kissing his cheek. It was quiet for a second.

"So you wanna fuck?" he asked suddenly.

"_Tony_!"

"I brought condoms!" he grinned.

"_TONY_!"

"What?"

"...No. Just...No." I turned away from him.

"Come on, Cher."

"Don't 'Come on, Cher' me." I fingered the ends of my ponytail. "I'm...I'm not...Ready."

Yes, yes, yes. You heard right. I, Cheri Angela Clearwater, have _not _- and I repeat _not _- 'done the deed' yet. But, yes, I do want my first to be Tony. I love that kid. And he was my first kiss, too, so...Why not?

But...I just pictured it being more romantic than, say, _in my room above the place where not-my-dad Dad is shortening his life by twelve years_. And I want it to be...spontaneous. Not a 'so you wanna fuck'. That's just wrong.

A good question...

But _wrong_.

"I hate being turned down by my own girlfriend..." he muttered, and I could tell that he was pouting. It took all of my power not to laugh; Tony's pouty face is equivalent to that of a constipated turtle. But it's cute...

I guess.

"Well...I want it to be spontaneous, y'know? And...And not where my dad can quite possibly hear me having an orgasm."

"That would be smart..." Tony agreed. I turned, seeing him looking at my ceiling in deep thought. I smiled.

"Just quit asking me, because I _will _say no. Make it...a surprise next time."

"Gotcha."

"Let me go to the bathroom real quick, kay? I gotta pee. Really bad."

"Kay."

I used the toilet and washed my hands, fixing my ponytail also. When I got back to my room, I went to my desk to turn on my music from my iPod dock. Then I turned around, coming face to face with a butt naked Tony Tiger.

Talk about _wowza. _

"Surprised?"

"No. A tad bit frightened, yes."

"...Sur_prised_?"

"Y-yeah," I squeaked, swallowing.

"So...?"

"Umm...What?"

"Let's get going, baby."

"How about _no_."

"So you're telling me that I did all this for no reason?"

"Not saying that you're not _hot _or anything, because you are! But I really want to wait, and it's not romantic enough, and Seth's right outside, and my window..." Tony was suddenly really close to me. He leaned down slowly. "Window's...Open...Really wide, and..." I trailed off, feeling his breath on my upper lip. It sent chills down my spine.

And the good kind, too.

Like the 'bout to get it _on_' kind.

I pushed him away then, shaking my head.

"_No_! I said spontaneous, but I didn't mean _this_!" I exclaimed.

"Come on..." he whined. "If I'm gonna sex someone, I want it to be you."

"Aww..." I cooed. "Noooo, no! Stop, you're making me all horny and shit! Put-"

"Cher, here's your laundry. I washed and folded them, and they're all nice. I also pressed this dress for you to wear to Heaven's baby shower tonight. Hey, Tony. So, yeah. Put that on, and if you want I can do your hair for you?" Sue said all this in one breath, looking at me. Tony and I were frozen. Here I was, only a foot or so away from my butt naked boyfriend.

"Umm...Ahh..." I stuttered. "_Sue_! Pri_vacy_ would be _nice_!" I cried, crawling over my bed to push her out. "Tony and I were _talking_!"

"Well, it's my house, so I should..." she trailed off, as if suddenly realizing that Tony was naked. And in my room. And by my bed.

And naked.

"Cheri Angela _Clearwater_," she breathed.

"We didn't do anything!" I sputtered. "Nothing at all! Look! My clothes are on, see?!"

"But I didn't give you _the talk _yet!" Sue whispered loudly.

Well, she kind of yelled it. Home girl can't whisper for her life.

"_Sue_!"

"Well since Tony's here, I might as well give it to both of you. Kill two birds with one-"

"_SUE_!"

"What's with all the...Whoa," Nami's eyes widened. "Nice job, Cher-ayy! Up top!" She raised her hand to high five me.

"This is a mess," Tony muttered.

"You're telling me," I rolled my eyes. He pulled on his clothes, and continued standing there awkwardly.

"Let me shower, and I'll put on my dress, okay?" I asked Sue nicely.

"Alright...But don't be too long. I want to be there _today_, please," she smiled at me and then left. Nami waggled her eyebrows at me, but I just pushed her away with a scoff.

"We did. NOTHING!" I cried.

"Riiiiiight," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, that's _my thing_!"

"Last I checked, that's a universal reply."

"Bitch."

"Cunt."

"_Ouch_..." I shook out my hand as if I'd been burned.

"Well, I'm gonna head out," Tony said. He kissed my cheek. "See you."

"Stayyy..." I whined.

"Nah, I already told Arrowhead I'd meet up with him later anyway, so..."

"Nice dick," Nami smiled at him.

"Well, you know," Tony winked at her.

"You guys are despicable."

"Later, babe," he kissed me again. Longer this time. "By the way, what are you up to tomorrow?" he asked.

"Probably eating till I pass out, why?"

"Don't plan anything," he warned me.

"Oh...Kay..."

"Bye."

"Ciao, babe," Nami twinkled her fingers at him. "Tell Marlon to give me my money!"

"Will do!" Tony laughed and left. She sat down on my bed, leaning forward. "So...?"

"What...?"

"Was it good? What's _Tony Shields _sex like?"

"For the _last time_, we did _not _- and I repeat NOT - have sex!" I screamed.

"Who's having sex?" Wynter asked, climbing in my window.

"Tony and Cheri."

"Get. Out," Wynter squealed. "Was it good?"

"I DIDN'T HAVE SEX WITH TONY!" I screeched.

"Riiiiiight," Wynter and Nami nodded and smiled deviously.

"I hate you guys," I murmured.

"We love you, too," Wynter grinned.

"Well, hey, let me go get ready for this baby shower. Home girl's getting a _cousin _in a few weeks!" I laughed, dancing around my room for a towel.

"Okay..." Nami laughed.

"Wait, we're leaving already? Aww, I wanted to show off my new piercing!" Wynter lifted up her shirt to show off her pierced bellybutton. "You like?"

"Ooh, sexy mama!" Nami laughed, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm too fat. It'd never look good on me," I sighed.

"Cher, shut up. It'd look a_mazing _on you!" Wynter assured me.

"Tell that to my love handles. Peace out, yo," I flashed them the deuces sign and went into the bathroom. I showered and washed my hair, gelling it afterwards. I came back out in my towel and went to my room, sighing when I saw that my friends were gone.

Well, I _did _kind of tell them they had to leave...

Oh, well. I'll text them later, of course.

I took the pretty dress off of its hanger, going to my closet and taking out a black biker jacket as well. The dress was cute; it had different colored patterns on it and went to my mid thighs. It was sleeveless, and I didn't like my arms, so I put the biker jacket on over it.

In my closet, I took out a pair of Toms, then I sat down at my vanity.

"Sue!" I called. "Do my hairrrr!"

A few minutes later, she had put my bangs into a large pouf, and then the rest of my curly hair into a high ponytail.

"...Cher, I know that you're fifteen and all. Practically an adult. And I know..."

I knitted my brows together, narrowing my eyes at her.

"...I know that you're going to feel certain _urges _to-"

"SUE!" I yelled, standing up.

"Cheri you need to hear this! I know that-"

"LA-LA-LA-LA-LA I'M NOT LISTENING!" I screeched, covering my ears with my hands.

"YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO-"

"I AM TITANIUMMMMM! YOU SHOOT ME DOWN BUT I WON'T FALL! I AM TITANIUMMMMM!"

"HAVE SEX AND DO THINGS, BUT REMEMBER-"

"BABY YOU LIGHT UP MY WORLD LIKE NOBODY ELSE! THE WAY THAT YOU FLIP YOUR HAIR GETS ME OVERWHELMED! THE WAY YOU SMILE AT THE GROUND IT AIN'T HARD TO TELL-" I ran out of my room and down the stairs. "YOU DON'T KNOW-OH-OH! YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE-"

"CHERI!"

"BEAUUUUTIFULLLLLLLLLLL LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!"

"You're so difficult," Sue finally sighed, grabbing her purse and an even larger Costco bag.

"I'm going to walk there myself," I said, not wanting to have anymore 'talks' with her. I put on really big black lightning bolt earrings, and then picked up my red tote. I slid on my sunglasses, glaring at her. Seth walked in, smelling heavily of smoke. I coughed.

"Control your mother," I told him. Then I left.

00000000000000000000000000

"Oh, guys, thank you!" Aunt Heaven squealed. "It's so cute! Hayden's going to look so cute coming out the hospital in this!"

"I paid," Kim grinned at her. "Ugh, Katy look at you. Frosting all over your face. Come here, and let Mommy clean it off..."

"Here's my gift," I announced, standing up. "A spoken word. It's called _Cry_." I cleared my throat, taking in a deep breath.

"Waahh, waahh, wahhh...Why art thou crying, little one? Waahh, wahh, wahh...Crying, crying, crying. Wahh, wahh, wahh...SHUT UP, or I'll feed you to the dogs! Oh, sweet, sweet child of mine."

"The end." I bowed elaborately, smiling in triumph. That was really good, if you'd ask me.

"Umm...That was...Nice, Cher," Aunt Heaven knitted her brows together and smiled.

"Thanks...Eh, but that wasn't the whole gift. _This_, my dear aunty, is the whole gift." I reached behind the couch and pulled up a gift bag. I smiled and handed it to her before sitting down on the couch next to her.

She took out a lamp with balloons and teddy bears on it.

"Aww, it's so cute!" she squealed.

"Wait, look! It's _completely _baby proof. See? No wires for him to chew on and then get horribly electrocuted...Oh, and when you press this button look!" I clicked a button, and it began to play music. The light spun around inside, making our dresses and the floor dance with the teddy bears and balloons.

Aunty Heaven smiled tenderly at it.

"Oh, Cher...Thank you," she hugged me.

"Don't mention it. But make sure you put it high up so that he doesn't get to it. Babies are very adventurous, you know. Oh, it can get hot. So make sure it's not near any wood...Or anywhere else flammable. And-"

"Cheri," Aunty Heaven laughed. "Thank you for your concern. I got it, I promise."

"Are you sure? Cause you know I could _completely _baby proof the house for you. ...And I'd do it for free!"

"Thanks," Aunt Heaven smiled again. She turned to everyone else and winked, sticking her tongue out. "She's excited about a new cousin, huh?"

"Me? Ex_cited_? Well, sure. I like babies," I shrugged, picking up Emerson. He wasn't really a baby, he was four. But he was my little cousin, so therefore I shall call him a _baby_. "If anyone should be excited, it should be this kid right here. Am I right, or am I right, Em?"

"Babies stink," he scrunched up his nose.

"Well so do you, dang," I replied, setting him back down. He ran outside where my uncles were out grilling. That's when the door opened, and Sue walked in, Seth following her. I rolled my eyes, standing up.

"I'm gonna go get a drink," I announced.

"Seth!" Heaven squealed. I stifled a gag of disgust, continuing into the kitchen.

It's funny, how as soon as I leave, the party becomes live. And who's the center of attention? Who? Go on. Guess.

Seth.

Ugh.

He's officially on my naughty list now. I'm pissed at that guy.

I took out my phone and began texting, walking back to my seat. On the way, I bumped into Seth, sending my tea all over myself and him.

"Cheri...Now why'd you go and do that?" Emily sighed.

"What the heck? It got on me, too! You're saying that I did it on purpose?"

"You're the one with the phone in her hands," Sue added. I let go of my phone, letting it fall onto the floor where I'm almost certain it cracked. I stared Sue straight in the eyes.

"What phone?" I asked.

"You're making a scene," Sue sighed, putting her hand over her face. "Please, Cher, for once can you not lose your temper?"

"But that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" I asked, dropping the glass, too. I was mad when it didn't shatter. I liked things to shatter.

"Cheri. Angela. Clearwater," Sue hissed.

"Susan. Beatrice. Young," I hissed back.

"Please, Cheri. This is supposed to be a happy time. Now would you let it _stay _that way?"

"But that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" I asked sweetly, biting my finger innocently.

"Watch it, young lady," Sue said, pointing a finger at me.

"Watch it, old lady," I pointed a finger at her.

"Cheri," Seth whispered. I held my hand up to his face, silencing him.

"Shut your mouth," I commanded. "You have no right to boss me around. You gave _up _that right twelve years ago when you left me. Twelve years ago when your so-called _imprint _slept with someone else and got pregnant with me. So don't 'Cheri' me, okay?"

"Cheri, you just spilled your drink, okay? Don't get mad. Not now," Aunt Heaven asked quietly.

"I'm not mad! Who the fuck is saying that I'm mad?"

"Language," Seth growled.

"Holy shit, I don't care what the fuck you have to _say_!" I screamed, whirling around into his face. I turned back around, kicked the cup across the room and stormed out the house, being sure to slam the door as hard as I could.

I walked into the woods, temporarily forgetting my fear of dark scary places.

Well, actually, I wasn't scared of the woods. I was scared of what was _in _the woods...

Which I'm pretty sure is stalking me right now.

I froze, gulping. Goosebumps rose on my skin, and I suddenly felt really nervous. There was rustling, and I whipped my head around with a small yelp.

Holy shit, I'm lost. I'm lost...In the woods. In the...

Oh, Lord, help me.

There was more noise, and I froze, hearing the slight rustling behind me. I could feel the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, and I wanted to run. But when I tried, my feet wouldn't move.

Fuck!

I'm glued to the freaking ground!

**There it is! Remember to review!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Seth

"I am so sorry about that...Oh, your glass...She'll be getting in _a lot _of trouble for this, trust me," Mom was saying as she cleaned up the mess Cheri had made.

"It's..." Heaven breathed out of her mouth slowly. "It's...Fine..."

"Are you okay?" I knitted my brows together, wiping at the tea stain on my shirt. She shook her head, pointing to her stomach. "What? What is it?"

"Are you really that stupid, Seth?! The baby's coming! Get Embry!" Claire exclaimed, rushing to take Heaven's hand. She started saying things to her: 'breathe slowly, Heav,' and 'how far apart are your contractions?'

I jogged out the back, where the guys were laughing and flipping burgers and hotdogs. Emerson was sat on top of Paul's shoulders, and Willie was tossing a football around with Jacob.

"Embry! They told me to come out and get you. Something about the baby coming, or-"

"What? _Shit_," Embry cursed. He dropped the spatula and ran inside, the others following him.

"Seth, can you go find Cheri? Take her to the hospital, that's where we'll be," Mom said. She had Cheri's left hand grasped in both of hers, while Embry had her right hand. He kissed her forehead.

"...Are you-"

"Come on, Heaven. Gently now, gently..."

Heaven squealed and groaned with pain, making everyone shout and begin screaming at each other to 'hurry up'. Emerson looked lost, and gripped onto Paul's leg. Katy, Kim and Jared's three-year-old daughter, began to cry. Which sparked crying amongst the other younger kids.

"I'll stay here with them," Leah said loudly. "Come here, kiddies...Willie, you, too."

"Why...?!"

"I'll stay with her," Claire said. She kissed Heaven's temple before herding the other kids over by Leah. I sighed and left out the back door to find my d...

Cheri.

I had her scent in my nose: vanilla, conditioner, fabric softener, and _Tony_. Lord, I hate that kid. He's not good for her.

I walked around, trying to find her. Her scent became stronger, and I hurried to get to her. I saw a glimpse of her through some trees, where she was frozen. Cheri cringed and stood there, and I walked forward some more.

"Cher-"

"AHHH!" she screeched, turning around. I held up my hands in defense, afraid she'd hurt me or something.

Psh. Not like she would, though.

Her face went from pure panic to utter anger and embarrassment when she saw that it was me. I saw the corners of her eyes brim with tears, and she stomped her foot on the ground once.

My breath caught in my throat when I realized how much she looked like Jazmyn at that moment. Ex_actly _like Jazmyn.

"What the fuck!? You scared the shit out of me! Why are you here?!" she screeched.

"I came to get you because-" I said slowly, still caught on her likeness to Jazz.

"What? _What_?" she screeched. "_What_?!"

"Heav's having her baby..." I finally managed to say. "Wow..."

"I'll walk to the hospital. Don't...! Don't take me there! I can go myself." She stomped her foot again and then walked in the other direction. My mouth hung slack and my jaw quivered a bit, but I regained my composure by clearing my throat. She was nowhere to be seen by then, and I sighed again and followed after her.

I walked alongside her, and she didn't realize that I was there due to my wolf-like quietness. She stopped and looked around, and then turned to face me. She screamed and jumped away, falling onto her butt. I smiled and reached out my hand to help her up.

"Hi."

"Fuck you." She swatted my hand away and stood up on her own.

"Ouch."

She turned and started heading east, then stopped.

"You're lost-" I stated.

"I'm lost," she said louder, cutting me off.

Fifteen minutes later, we were safely out of the woods and in my truck. In the years I had been gone, Mom had never used it. She told me 'I knew you'd come back on your own. So I kept it to remind myself that.'

Cheri had her arms crossed, and she stared hard out the windshield. I swear, it could combust at any second at the rate she was staring. I sighed, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. We pulled up to the main entrance of the hospital, and I turned to her fully.

"Cher-"

She shot out of the truck, slamming the door so hard that it quivered. I sighed roughly again, leaning my head on the steering wheel. I looked up at the ceiling after that, then took the keys out of the ignition and got out.

The Pack was all here, and Leah and Claire had also brought the little ones. Cheri sat quietly in the chair at the farthest corner of the waiting area. I smiled glumly and took a seat next to Jacob. He was laughing at a video on his iPad with his son, and Willie's face was so red.

"Wait! Dad, here's the best part!" he exclaimed. The two watched with smiles on their faces before bursting out into more laughter. "See? Told you!" Willie laughed some more.

"That really was, thanks, kiddo. Your old man needed a good laugh," Jacob smiled and punched his shoulder. William beamed up at Jacob with happiness before Jacob turned to me. "Hey."

I only raised my eyebrows to acknowledge him, looking down at my thumbs. I felt awkward here. Cheri hated me, and everyone else was all caught up in their own worlds with kids and families. And here I was, just coming back from being practically homeless for twelve years.

"She'll come around, trust me," Jacob reassured me, patting my shoulder.

"I've been back for a month. I thought she would've warmed up to me by now." We looked at Cheri, who was flipping through a magazine.

"Seth, right?" Willie asked.

"_Uncle _Seth to you," Jacob warned him.

"Cool. Uncle Seth, I know something that can get her to like you," Willie said, a smirk on his face. He looked like Leah when he did that, and I couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Yeah?" I asked. He nodded.

"You see..."

000000000000000000000000000000

Cheri

Ew. Kim Kardashian is a fat whore.

Well...She _is _kind of pregnant, so...

Whatever. Let's flip the page...

Ooh! Bruno Mars, hel_lo_!

He's number three on my list of hot guys.

I love my Louis, but Tony's number _one_. Speaking of Tony-

"Hey."

Fuck. Seth.

I didn't even glance at him, and flipped to the next page, where Bruno was explaining his album _Unorthodox Jukebox_.

_"...You know, like that pussy leche..." _Bruno said. I smirked. Gah, he was so adorable.

"So, um, you know I play guitar?"

Silence.

"I've heard you sing, you're really good."

Yawn.

"And, uh, I know how to play a few One Direction songs, and-"

Hold up.

"...Huh?" I glanced at him, a little interested. What does _Seth _know about One Direction?

"One Direction, you know...That British boy band you're so in to. Who are the guys...? Harry, Zayn...Louis-"

"Louis Tomlinson," I stated, setting down my magazine and smiling. "Louis _Freaking _Tomlinson, bro. I fucking _love _that guy."

"Yeah, he's...He's got a pretty good voice."

"_Pretty _good? Uh, try _hell a _good."

"What about the other ones?"

"Well, Zayn's like _hot_. And Harry's curls are so beautiful! Niall's just _adorable_, and Liam's cute. But all of them com_bined _got _nothing _on Louis."

"Louis Tomlinson."

"No, no, no. It's not Louis Tomlinson. It's _Louis _Tomlinson."

"_Louis _Tomlinson," Seth smiled at me.

"No, no, no. _Louis Tomlinson._"

"_Louis Tomlinson._"

"LOUIS FREAKING TOMLINSON!"

"LOUIS FREAKING TOMLINSON."

"Good!" I high fived him and grinned. "You know, that in only three years, I'll be legal to marry him? He's twenty-one so it's illegal right now."

"Oh," Seth nodded slowly.

"But, like, _not like I'm gonna marry him as soon as I get out of high school_, but like...You know. When I'm like nineteen, or something. That's a good age right? Well, unless I get married to Tony, because he's like my boyfriend and everything. And it's weird because we usually only go out for, like, two weeks, but we've been together a whole _month _and I don't even feel like breaking up! Isn't that cool! Holy crap, I've been talking to you for like, five minutes straight, and I haven't even barfed yet!"

I said all of this in pretty much one breath, clamping a hand over my mouth afterwards. In the corner of my eye, I could see everyone staring at us with smiles on their faces, but I chose to ignore them.

"So like...How do you know so much about One Direction?" I asked, moving my hand away from my mouth.

"Oh, you know. You pick things up after a while. They got pretty famous, huh?"

"Yeah."

It was quiet for a while, me - for once - not knowing what to say. Finally I sighed.

"Hey, Seth?"

"Yeah?"

"I hate you."

"...Oh."

He looked hurt, and I almost felt bad until Embry came around the corner. He grinned at everyone, who went up into cheers. I flew out of my chair, running to him.

"I get to see him first! _I _get to see him first! He _is _my cousin, anyway, so _duh_," I snorted, hooking myself onto his arm.

"C'mere, Emerson," he said to his son, who hopped off of Leah's lap and ran to Embry. He picked him up and kissed his cheek. "Ready to meet your sister?"

What? _Sister_?!

"What? No. Freaking. Way. You had a _girl_?"

I ran down the hallway, to Aunty Heaven's room. Wait, which one was her room? I looked at Embry, and he pointed at the one on the far left. I burst in.

"YOU HAD A _GIRL_?!" I screeched. Aunty Heaven looked up from a little pink blanket, her lips curling into a sheepish smile.

"Yeah...Don't worry, I'm just as surprised as you are."

"Emerson, come on," Embry whispered. He walked to the bed and held him close to Heaven to see his new sister. He scrunched up his nose.

"But...But that's a _girl_," he said.

"It's your sister," Embry smiled at him.

"My brother's a _girl_." He leaned down and sniffed. "Well, she smells okay..." he said uncertainly. I raised my eyebrows, walking over to them. I held out my arms, and Heaven kissed the baby's forehead before handing her to me.

"Hey, she looks like me," I said cheekily, grinning at them. Embry rolled his eyes, and Aunty Heaven just giggled. "So like...I vote we should name her Cheri Junior...You know, because of our resemblance."

"No, we're making her name start with an _H _like Heaven's," Embry said stubbornly. I sighed.

"Fine...Umm...Harper? Haley...Harmony, Halle?" I looked down at my new cousin. "Hickory...!"

"'Hickory?'"

"Yeah! You know like _hickory smoked ham_. Because she's so cute, I could just eat her! Like hickory smoked ham!"

"No. My sister's not a ham," Emerson pouted.

"Fine. Then _you _name her, smartness," I told him. He was quiet, looking at the pink blanket. The baby squirmed, finally getting her arm free from the blanket and she rested it on her face. I caught Embry's smile with pride, and Heaven's look of love and adoration.

"Honey," Emerson said. "Cause girls are 'sposed to be made of sugar. Powerpuff Girls said so. And that's sweet, right? Like a honey."

"You'd give up _Hickory _for _Honey_?!" I exclaimed.

"Don't you like it, daddy?" Emerson looked up at his father with big, pleading eyes.

Oh, hell no. Well, two can play at that game.

"Embry...?" I said sweetly, trying to look as cute as possible.

"Well...Honey _is _a cute name..." Aunty Heaven said.

"You're going to give her the name that a _four year old _suggested?"

"Why not? You named Emerson."

"No I didn't!"

"Oh, right...I did," she smiled at Embry. "I like it, sweetie."

Embry took the baby from me and set her back in her mother's arms. I pouted.

"Hey!"

"What...?" Aunty Heaven didn't look at me, but smiled down at her baby daughter. "Honey...Honey Elaine Call," she said contentedly. I huffed out a breath. Okay, okay, it was _cute _but she's just making herself subject to bullying.

There's all kinds of names kids can call her.

Honey-bee...Honey ham...Honey roasted almonds...Honey...

Gol_ly_, I'm _starving_!

Later, everyone was gathered in the room, admiring 'Pretty Little Honey' as they called her. Everyone was cooing and ahhing over her, as she just slept and probably pooped the diaper that the nurses wrapped around her.

Emerson smiled and suddenly became the expert on everything that was and is Honey Elaine...And the chick had only been out of Aunty Heaven's body for not even half an hour! Embry just looked proud; I wanted to slap the 'happy father' look off his face. And Aunty Heaven just looked...Well, she looked pretty good for a lady that'd pushed a baby out her crotch with no meds.

Everyone's 'coo-chee-coo' faces were ticking me off, and I stood by the window trying not to snap because I left my phone on the floor in Aunty Heaven's house where it most likely cracked and I'm missing the One Direction concert in Portland right now because Sue _refuses _to drive me there...!

Oh. And those stupid 'coo-chee-coo' faces were pissing me the fuck off.

If I haven't already mentioned to you how much I hate my life, already...I do. I really, really, _really_, really do.

But you know what they say, right?

Life sucks...Then you die.

(Insert pissed off emoji here)

0000000000000000000000000000

_Hey, gorgeous. Meet me at the beach today at noon :) _

From _To_ny.

Oh, Lord Jesus I just died a little.

I started hopping up and down on my bed, squealing and screeching in happiness.

Holy crap, I'm fangirling. And for once it wasn't because of Louis Tomlinson.

"Okay, okay, okay." I took a deep breath and let it out. "Calm yourself, Cher." I let out another breath, then thought about the adorable text again. My heart fluttered and I jumped again, landing on my back. I kicked my legs around happily, clutching my phone to my chest.

I shot up suddenly.

What am I going to wear?

What am I going to _wear_?

WHAT THE FUCK AM I GOING TO WEAR?!

I hopped off my bed, checking the time as I did so.

10:32

Holy. Shit.

That means I only have...Like an hour and...Something minutes to shower, brush my teeth, do my hair...Pick out an _outfit_-!

Drastic times call for drastic measures.

"Pick up...Pick up, pick up, pick _uuuuuupppppp_-_puh_!" I mumbled to my phone.

"_Hello_-"

"WYNTER! Shit, Winnie! Tony wants me to meet him at First Beach today, and I'm going through a fashion crisis! I have _no clue _what I'm going to wear!"

"_Wow, you're really freaking out, aren't you...? Well...If I were you, I'd pick that gray shirt-_"

"The plain one?"

"_No, not that one. The one with the two letters on the front._"

"The tank top...?" I asked, fingering through my closet.

"_Yeah! That one._"

"Okay, got it."

"_And...Umm...Ooh! What about those shorts!_"

"Which ones?"

"_The denim ones_."

"Oh, Winnie, that just sums about EVERY PAIR OF FUCKING SHORTS I OWN!"

"_Fine, I could just hang up-_"

"NO!"

"_Actually, wear it with some jeans. And not those ones you like to wear all the time. Those have a permanent paint stain on it from the time-_"

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your titties all tied up in a knot."

"_No prob. My tits are so tiny, you need a magnifying glass to see these girls. Why can't I have a chest like yours_?"

"Please, Wynter. I hardly call a 36B a _chest_. I'm like captain of the Itty Bitty Tittie Committee."

"_If you're captain, then I must be lieutenant._" I laughed. "_Anyway, umm...Those acid wash ones! Ooh, that'd be cute! Oh, and then those black booties-_"

"Wynter, we're going to the beach. Not a concert."

"_Okay, then. Toms. Or boat shoes. Make sure they match, though, kay_?"

"Sure."

"_And since we're casual today, put on a cardigan. Oh! And leave your hair down...And...Hoop earrings! Hoops can never do a person wrong!_"

"Thanks, Wynter. I love you, you know that, right?"

"_Duh. Thanks for the outfit idea, though. Now I know exactly what I'm going to wear to my job interview today_!"

"Thanks for taking the time to memorize my closet," I laughed. "You're a lifesaver, Win."

"_Mmm, I try._"

"See you later, chica! Thanks again!"

"_Welks! Keep it real, home dog_!"

"Whatever," I laughed again and ended the call, rushing into the bathroom to get ready. Like she said, I left my curly hair down, and put on some hoop earrings. The only makeup I used was mascara and eyeliner.

Later, I slid on my Toms and grabbed my phone before leaving.

"I'M OUT!" I yelled.

"But we didn't-"

"CONTROL YOUR MOTHER, SETH!" I screeched, shutting the door. I walked casually to the beach-

Well, actually, I sort of speed walked, because I was really super excited.

On the way there, I got stopped by a kid on a tricycle. Oh, shit, I do _not _want to be pissed off right now.

"Move it, kid. I don't have the-"

"These are for you," he said. He handed me a small bouquet of roses and baby's breath.

"Say whaaaat...?" I raised my eyebrows, turning the flowers over in my hands.

"And this, too," he said, holding out a big red picnic basket.

"Oh, wow..." I giggled.

"Okay, bye! Oh, and Tony says hurry your ass over to the beach now!" the kid said. He honked his horn twice before cycling around me and down the street.

I quirked a brow at his vulgar language before continuing to the beach.

This time, I skipped, waving at everyone and every car that passed by me. When I got to the beach, I could hardly contain myself. I actually kind of felt like Red Riding Hood...Minus the deep, dark, creepy forest and the giant transvestite wolf.

"TONY!" I yelled, stopping for a second. He was sitting on a picnic blanket by the water, looking so fine and sexy...

Mmm...Let me stop myself there.

For the first time I willingly - I know, I can't believe it, either! - ran. Like, for reals, bros! He stood up and caught me, spinning me around. I kissed his cheek over and over again.

"You're such a sweetie, kid. For real, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"Oh, and that little boy needs to be slapped. What harsh language he has!"

"Taught him all he knows."

"I figured that." I kissed him again then he set me down. "Thanks for the flowers. Their beautiful."

"Welcome."

"And I never got to see what was inside the basket, but it's pretty heavy."

"Good. I didn't want you to open it, anyway."

"_Hey_! Wait, is it food? Is this a picnic date?! Oh, my gosh! I love picnic dates! Even though, like, I've never been on one before. But, hey. I'm not complaining or anything. So like, did you bring-"

I was silenced by Tony kissing me. He pulled away with a smirk.

"It's not food, Cher."

"_What_?"

"The food's right there," he answered, pointing to a beach bag at the top left corner of the blanket.

"Then what's this?"

"Open it and see."

I eyed him skeptically for a second before lifting one of the flaps of the basket. I gasped and squealed as a little kitten popped its head out the top. It was so fluffy and fat and _cute_. It meowed up at me with its big green eyes.

"_Gah_! Holy crap! It's so _cute_!"

"This little guy was born two weeks ago. There's this cat that always comes to our doorstep, and my little brother likes to give her milk and stuff. Well, one day, he was outside, and came back with a box of kittens. So..."

"_Tony_! You're so sweet! Hi, little guy! Hel_lo_!" I cooed. I picked him out of the basket and held him close to me, kissing the top of his head. He meowed again, and I poked my lip out at his cuteness.

"I wanna name him Ma Homie!" I squealed. Tony knitted his brows together with an amused grin.

"Come again?"

"So then when I call him I can be like 'come on over, Ma Homie!' He can be Homes for short. Ma Homie Clearwater. I like it, don't you?"

"Whatever you want, babe," Tony smiled at me. I squealed again, taking the ribbon off of the bouquet of flowers. I wrapped it around Ma Homie's neck, making it like a makeshift collar. He meowed again, and I giggled.

"He looks so posh and poised! Watch out, models! There's a new cat in town!"

Tony scratched under Ma Homie's chin, making the little kitten purr with delight.

"So you know...Homes, here marks our one month anniversary, right?"

"But we've gone out before."

"Never for a _month_."

"Tony Tiger, this is _huge_! Holy crap, this is...This is bigger than _Broadway_!"

"And..." Tony took Ma Homie and put him back inside his basket, then reached in the other side and pulled out a long rectangular velvet box. "If it's okay with you, I want to make our relationship official. So..." He grinned. "Cheri Angela Clearwater, will you do me the honor of being my _official _girlfriend?"

"TONY!" I screamed, when he opened the box, revealing a silver necklace with a heart charm. "Well, _duh_!"

How the hell was I supposed to resist _this_?

He moved behind me, and I held my hair out of the way as he fastened it around my neck.

"Tony Tiger, it's so beautiful," I said truthfully. I turned bright red. Probably from all these feelings stuff. I'm not a big _feelings _kind of gal.

"You're cute when you're a strawberry."

"Yeah, yeah...Let's eat!"

We talked, laughed, and played with Ma Homie over sandwiches, cookies, and soda.

"I cut off the crusts. Just the way you like it, babe," Tony told me, chewing on his. His head was rested in my lap, and he used the hand that didn't have his sandwich to scratch behind Ma Homie's ears as he laid on Tony's stomach.

"You're so sweet, thank you," I kissed him.

I watched as my new kitten fell asleep. Tony smiled and placed him back carefully in the basket. I used a few napkins to keep him warm from the breeze. Tony laughed at me, and took my hand, leading me on a walk down the beach. We walked to a more secluded area, near the cliffs and the part that led into the forest.

It was sunny today, and we watched the sun set behind the cliffs. I smiled to myself; this was one of the most perfect days I've had in a while.

Forget about life sucking - these are the times in life that kick ass!

Somewhere along the way, Tony and I started kissing. Then it began getting heated, and the next thing I knew I was only in a bra.

Well. That escalated quickly.

I kept kissing him, though. Not wanting to ruin anything.

He nuzzled my neck, then nipped at my ear, sending chills down my body. And not the cold kind.

The _'bout to get it ON' _kind.

But at that moment, I didn't really give a fuck, to be honest.

More shivers went down my spine as Tony leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "Surprise."

I smiled as we rolled over, and he was on top of me. We were both completely naked at the moment, and I for one was _loving _it.

Oh, wow, I am _so baaad_!

(This is the moment where we speed through the nasty, orgasm-inducing details and skip to the part where me and Tony walk slowly back to Ma Homie and the blanket.)

We stood by the basket, and I looked up into his eyes and kissed him, standing up on my tip toes.

"Was it surprising? Spontaneous? Romantic?"

"Home run," I told him with a grin. "How many people can say they lost their virginity on the beach? Umm, not a lot. Shit, do I have sand in my hair?"

"A little...But you still look as beautiful as ever, babe."

"Aww..."

He drove me back home. Ma Homie sat in the backseat, and he held my hand the whole way, occasionally raising it to kiss my knuckles. I fingered the necklace he gave me, unable to stop the smiles and blushing that came when I thought about it.

"Noooo! One more time around the block, _please_?" I asked, pouting, when we arrived at my house. It was well past seven by now.

"Sorry, Cher. I have to watch the bro," he said apologetically, referring to his seven-year-old brother, Sean.

"Why can't Sean be seven_teen_ and not _seven_?" I pouted again, my lip poking out even more.

"Don't ask me, because I honestly don't know," he smiled, then reached back to take my kitten out of his basket. "See you later, Homes." He handed him to me, and I smiled sadly. I picked up my flowers, then leaned in for one last kiss.

"I love you," he whispered when he pulled away. It took me a second to answer. I looked into his eyes, then at his lips, then back at his eyes again.

"I love you, too," I finally whispered back. After that, I bit my lip. Then I grinned and slid out of his car, turning and waving when he drove off when one last honk.

I walked up the front stairs of my house, opening the door and closing it with a huge smile on my face. Charlie and Sue were sitting on the couch watching a movie, eating popcorn. I watched Charlie peck her lips once, before returning to the scene.

"I'm home," I said after a few seconds of staring at their old people cuteness.

"Oh. Good. Hey," Sue turned and smiled at me. "Oh!" she cooed, seeing Ma Homie. "Is it a stray?"

"No, Tony got him for me!"

"_Tony_," Seth muttered, coming in from the sliding back door. He walked to the kitchen and took his lighter off the counter, going back out. I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway, we had a picnic on the beach for our one month anniversary. And he gave me a kitty, and this necklace. Look!" I held my head high to show off the pretty charm.

"Oh, wasn't that sweet?" Sue cooed. "Why can't you be romantic like them?" she questioned Charlie. He gave me a look of slight annoyance and sarcasm.

"Thanks, Cher, for that moving story."

"Anytime, Charles."

"Charlie."

"Riiiiiight," I nodded and smiled. "I'll try and remember that next time I smuggle a Mexican over the border. Oops, you weren't supposed to hear that!"

"Hear what?" he grinned at me. I sighed, eyeing Sue.

"Marry him. Now. Today. Please."

"Actually..." Sue smiled, looking like a giddy young schoolgirl. "Umm, we are." She held out her hand, showing off a silvery wedding band. I almost dropped Ma Homie.

"YES! Wow, congratulations!"

"Thank you," Charlie smiled.

"Like, really. Now I can do illegal stuff, and Charlie over there can get me out of it! _Yes_!" I cheered, setting Ma Homie down. I skipped to the kitchen, opening the fridge. I pulled out a bottle of Budweiser from the pack that Sue had in here for when Charlie or my uncles came in here.

I popped it open and was about to take a swig when it was ripped from my hands.

"Hey! No fair! _Charliiiiie_!" I whined, looking at my soon-to-be-grandfather.

"You're fifteen. You don't need beer," Seth said to me, recapping it.

"Don't do that, it's not fizzy anymore!" I exclaimed. "Anyway, we're _celebrating _Sue and Charlie's engagement. And frankly, you don't need cigarettes but look at _you_!" I pouted and stomped my foot to make my point.

"She has a point..." Charlie agreed. Seth sighed gruffly, shooting him a look of annoyance. Then he looked at me, frowning. He leaned forward and sniffed, and I leaned back, knitting my brows together. He growled.

"His smell is _all over you_!" he growled lowly. I stepped back. "What'd you do with him? _What'd you do?!_"

"I-"

"You had sex with him, didn't you?"

"Well-"

"_Didn't you_?!" Seth growled louder. It was quiet.

"Charlie, I love you, but I think it's time you go. I don't want you scared to come back over."

"Sure. Bye, honey." He kissed her, grabbed his keys, and left.

"Seth-"

"Mom, shut up and stay out of this," he growled.

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_!" I held up my hand. "I told you to control your mother, but you didn't have to go and snap at her like that!"

"Cheri, you-"

"I'm not done talking! Why-"

"NO. _I'm _not done talking. You're fifteen, Cheri. _Fifteen_. That is _no age _to be...To be...Having sex with some _Tony _kid! I know, because I've been there. You're doing it in the heat of the moment, and then the next thing you know..." He gestured elaborately towards me. "Exhibit A."

"Oh, please, It's not like I'll get pregnant and turn out like _you_! A grown, stinky, smoking..._Asshole_!"

"Well, you know, maybe you will, Cheri," he spat bitterly.

"Well...Well...!"

"You didn't use protection, did you?" Sue asked, sounding scared.

"I...I...! I don't know! He surprised me!"

Damn it, Tony! Why didn't I look down there when we-

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of bones cracking and growling. Ma Homie meowed and scurried into the living room, and I turned towards Seth, who was crouched on the ground.

"Seth, outside. OUTSIDE NOW!" Sue was screaming. "Cheri, come over here!"

"What's-"

Sue screamed my name just as Seth burst into a giant, sandy brown wolf. I fell to the floor hard, hitting my head on the staircase. I saw a chair broken under one of his giant paws, and then I started to see double.

"Sue...? Sue, where are you? H-h-help me, Sue!" I whimpered, trying to scoot away. "Sue, he's gonna eat me!"

Someone lifted me up and pulled me close to them. I looked up and saw Sue, hugging her as tight as I could. I was shaking in fear, and I just wanted to be away from the house.

"Seth, you're scaring her. You're scaring her, Seth," Sue muttered. She rubbed circles on my back, trying to soothe me, but I just held her tighter. I felt it hard to breathe, and I gripped her shirt, burying my face deeper into her.

"SETH!"

"Sue, make him go away. Make him go away, please," I whimpered.

"SETH!"

I stood hugging Sue tightly for a while more, trying to steady my breathing, and then I felt something press softly on my back. I jumped.

"Sue...!"

"Cher, it's me," Seth said quietly.

I shied away from him, shaking my head.

"Go away," I cried. "Go _away_."

"Cher-"

"I hate you! I don't ever want to see you again!" I screamed, whirling around to face him. After that, I picked up my cat and ran up the stairs, slamming the door to my room.

**There it is, my beautiful homies! Hope you liked it. Review please!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Cheri

The windows were locked; curtains shut tightly to let no light in.

The door was locked and barricaded with my dresser.

I listened as Sue tried desperately for an hour to get me out. I squeezed my eyes shut, letting tears fall. Ma Homie meowed and I just held him tighter, kissing his soft fur.

"Cher...? Please," she tried again.

I didn't answer, and my cat meowed again. I sniffed quietly and kissed his fur another time, letting my mouth stay there buried into his soft hair.

It was quiet after that, and I was alone in my room. Well, except for Ma Homie, who had fallen asleep nestled into my side. I sat in my dark room, still crying and shivering. My head started to ache, but I ignored it.

"S-s-stupid Seth...and his s-s-stupid wolf p-powers," I whimpered, bringing my legs up to my chest. I picked up a pillow and threw it at the dresser, my crying starting all over again.

I'm not a usual crier. So when I started, it was hard to stop. Even for a little bit.

A long while later, another knock at my door made me jump. I hiccupped and looked up.

"Cheri...? It's Sue."

I buried my face back into my knees.

"I'm here, too," Leah called.

I looked up slightly, and the door jiggled.

"Honey, can you let me in? I promise, it'll just be me and your grandma."

I was hesitant, and I sat contemplating this for a long time. It was quiet except for Ma Homie's soft purring, and then the phone rang downstairs. Finally, I stood up and padded to the dresser. I pushed it out of the way and gripped the door handle. Then I opened it up.

Sue smiled at me, but I stood on my tiptoes to look behind them.

"He's out for a run now. It's okay," Sue reassured me. For some reason, that got my crying started up again, and I threw myself on her. She shushed me over and over again, but I didn't get quiet.

"Cheri, someone wants to talk to you," Leah said, coming up the stairs.

"If it's Seth-"

"It's not." She tapped me, and I turned to see the phone. She nodded and I took it, holding it tentatively to my ear.

"Hello?"

"_Cheri_?"

00000000000000000000000000000

"_And school is fine_?"

"Y-y-yeah. I-it's fine."

"_Your friends are nice, right_?"

"They're great. Just great, D-D...Dad."

I swallowed, listening to my real father sigh contentedly.

"_It must be weird for you_," he laughed. "_Having me call you so late like this._"

"It's not late..."

"_It's almost one in the morning_."

"Oh, well, I guess that is late then," I shrugged. "How're _you_?"

"_I'm good. Good. My wife's sleeping now. And, um, my sons and daughter are asleep, too._ _He's eleven today, you know. My son, I mean. M-Matt,_" he cleared his throat. "_Matt._"

"Oh, well, tell him I said happy birthday."

Whoa, three kids? I only thought he'd had a daughter.

"_I'll be sure to do that._"

Cue awkward silence.

"_Hey, Cheri_?"

"Mhm?" I sniffed, still not quiet over the whole Seth thing.

"_I like talking to you._"

"Oh, um...Cool."

"_I'm going to be in town in a few days to see my parents. Me, Amy, and the kids. I'd...I'd like to see you. If that's okay, of course. Because it's fine by me if you-_"

"No, no. It's..." I took in a shaky breath. "It's okay."

"_Really?! I mean," _he cleared his throat again. "_Great. Good._"

"Yeah."

"_Yeah_..."

"Well, I should let you sleep."

"_Of course. You should get some sleep, too. Church in the morning._"

"I'm not, um, really into the whole church thing."

"_O-oh_."

"But if it makes you feel better, I'll go in the morning."

"_Nah, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do_."

"No, it's okay. I'll go. I'll go."

"_Okay, then_. _Umm, I'll see you on Tuesday then._"

"Yeah. 'Course."

"_'Course_. _Bye, Cheri_."

"Bye, D...Dad. Oh, and Dad?"

"_Yeah_?"

"Next time you decide to call me at one in the morning, can you give me, like, a week's notice?"

He laughed, and I couldn't help but smile a little bit.

"_Yeah. Yeah, I will_."

"Bye," I whispered.

"_Bye_."

I hung up, and sat back on the couch, biting my lip.

"That went well," Sue smiled at me.

"Yeah," I nodded. The door opened and I looked up, meeting Seth's eyes. I looked away, tensing up as he walked past me and up the stairs. I heard him start coughing, and the rest of us were quiet, listening to him coughing for a real long time. Then he was quiet, too.

"He's coming to visit his parents with, um, his family. And he said he wants to see me," I said, looking at my hands.

"Oh, isn't that great?" Sue smiled at me. But it looked forced when I glanced at her face. Leah smiled, too, and it was then that I noticed that she was in pajamas.

"Well, I should get home to Willie and Jake. The two were up watching _Iron Man _when I left. Hope they left some popcorn for me," she laughed halfheartedly, and Sue looked at her worriedly.

"I hope they did, too. And you better eat it. All of it," she eyed her.

"Okay, Mom. O_kay_. You know I will," Leah said, kissing her cheek and then mine. I quirked a brow once the door shut behind her.

"What was that about?"

"What?"

"'And you better eat it. All of it,'" I said in my Sue High Voice. I also do an Emily High Voice and a Kim High Voice, cause you know, I'm just talented like that.

"Oh, nothing. Leah's just...She's had some troubles in the past and I'm just looking out for her is all." She turned around to go up the stairs, end of discussion. "Go to bed. And _please _don't barricade yourself in your room this time?"

"Now that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" I asked sweetly.

I heard her sigh of exasperation and Seth's low growl of frustration before I fell asleep on the couch, the sound of the rain on the window my only lullaby.

...

Wow. I'm _deep_.

000000000000000000000000000000

Seth and I are officially _not _on speaking terms.

I can't even stand the sound of his breathing anymore. That's bad, I'm telling you. Tragic, I know.

Like I'd told _Dad_, I went to church that morning. It was actually tolerable. There was a lot of singing, and then the pastor gave a sermon about obeying elders and parents and stuff.

I thought I'd zone out like I usually did while my teachers were teaching, but it was actually really interesting. I actually _listened_.

Willie sat next to me, and I caught him staring at me. He cocked his head, but I pretended I didn't notice.

Going to Leah's and Jake's house afterwards, I sat in the truck bed with Willie, Emerson, and Katy, who had her arms spread out and was looking up at the gray sky.

"If God can control weather, how come he makes it so rainy all the time?" she asked, looking at me. I gave her a helpless look.

Please, when it came to this God stuff, I was as clueless as Marlon in the tampon aisle of the supermarket.

"It's because God is God. And he controls stuff," Emerson answered with a nod, end of sentence.

"That's not a real answer," Katy pouted. "God has to make stuff sunny, because he made His world in His image. That's what his Book says."

"How do you know so much, anyway?" Emerson asked with a frown.

"'Cause I listen in Sunday School. Duh. That's how come _I _got a lot of lollipops and _you _don't."

Emerson stuck her tongue out at her, and she stuck hers back out. Willie rolled his eyes, obviously thinking that they were annoying, and I silently agreed with him.

But to be honest, I found myself thinking about Katy's question. If God wanted stuff to be made in 'His image', then why _was _it always raining her every second of the day?

Great, now a seven-year-old has me thinking all deep and crap. Ugh.

When I got to Leah's house, Sue was there with message from _Dad_. (Wow, I really need to stop emphasizing on that word). It said that he'd actually be able to see me tomorrow, and they were leaving from church this morning.

For some reason, I felt my heart skip a beat, and I suddenly felt giddy inside.

I'm actually...I'm actually going to meet my _real dad_. It was...Wow.

I caught Seth's eye as he saw me smiling down at the note. I flipped my hair over my shoulder and walked into Leah's house.

Sometime during lunch, my phone beeped, and I checked it.

_Hey, come outside_, Tony had texted.

I stood up in my chair, looking out the window. Sure enough, Tony was outside, leaning on the hood of his old Toyota. I grinned, scooting myself from the table.

"Where are you-"

I thrust open the door, "Tony!"

There was a growl, some commotion behind me, and then the back door slammed shut. I ignored it as best as I could, running to meet my boyfriend on the front walk. It had started to rain a bit, but I didn't care. Tony kissed me, and I smiled into the kiss. (Ooh, romantic!)

"I needed that," I told him when we pulled away.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm."

"HEY! If you two aren't too busy, we'd like to get down to the movies _today_, please!" Marlon yelled from the car. I looked behind Tony and saw Wynter and Nami, too, waving from the window. They gave me kissy faces and sly grins.

"Hold on, let me grab my stuff," I told him. He kissed me again and I ran back inside. "I'm leaving!"

"Where?" Sue asked.

"To a movie with the guys," I answered, grabbing my phone and tote.

"You know the rules-"

"No booze, drugs, or...Well, already broke that rule. Bye!" I kissed her cheek. There was a gasp.

"What rule is she talking about-?"

"Home by nine!"

"Eleven," I challenged.

"Eight."

_What_?!

"Ten-thirty."

"Nine-fifteen. Take it, or leave it," Sue eyed me.

"Fine..."

I closed the door behind me and slid into the car.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Leah

I picked at my food, not really joining in the conversation around me. I watched their mouths engulf the food on their forks, immediately feeling disgusted not only by them, but by myself.

_Did I really look like that when I ate?_

I shredded up my chicken, spreading it around my plate to make it look like I ate.

"Aunty Leah, look at me! Watch, I'm eating my broccoli!" Emerson said happily, eating a big forkful of his vegetables. I forced a smile, and watched Embry high five him. Heaven repositioned Honey, sticking a bottle into her mouth.

I sighed, lightly placing a hand on my stomach.

Maybe it was something I was doing...

"Leah, you've barely touched your food. Are you okay?" Kim asked. I raised my eyebrows.

"What? Oh, yeah. I'm fine," I laughed it off. "It's all good." I put a forkful of chicken into my mouth to show her that it was okay. I pretended to chew and swallow, when in reality, I held it at the side of my mouth.

It touched my tongue again, and I clamped a hand over my mouth, forcing it to stay inside. When everyone was still looking at me, I smiled again and swallowed it. It felt like a load of rocks in my stomach, and I wanted so badly to get rid of it.

I laid my head on Jacob's shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around me, kissing the top of my head.

"Yuck," Willie said from across the table, making a face.

"What?" Jacob asked, smirking.

"Parents shouldn't kiss. That's gross," he answered, crossing his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said. I kissed Jacob's lips. "That better, sweetie?"

"No." Willie made pretend gagging sounds. "That's worse, actually."

I caught Seth's eye, and he looked away quickly. His face looked sad, and I instantly felt terrible for him. He couldn't ever feel what Jacob and I felt again. Not after Jazmyn.

I reached my hand out for him.

"Baby Bro, remember our Sundays with Daddy?" I asked. "And you'd always get all grumpy 'cause he wouldn't let you ride shotgun in the truck."

"Yeah, it was always _you _and your 'but _Dadddddyyyy_,' " Seth whined in a high pitched voice, making a face at me. "'I'm your baby girl...' And then you'd smile that Satanic smile you'd always give him-"

"Hey, I was sweet!" I kicked him.

"Like I said. _Satanic_, and then he'd be all like 'sorry, son, but your sister here doesn't have much time left with us. But don't worry, as soon as she's gone, we'll have the truck to ourselves.'" He smiled glumly. "'Just the guys...'" he trailed off, looking up at the ceiling.

I smiled with a sigh, and then the smile went away when he excused himself.

"Where're you going?" I asked.

"Out," was his answer, which usually went he was going to go smoke a cigarette or two. One time, I heard Mom say he smoked a whole pack. I watched him take a lighter out his back pocket, opening the door and then closing it.

"How come he's got that orange thing?" Katy asked her mom.

"It's a magic tool that helps him feel better," Jared answered when Kim didn't know what to say. "But it's for Seth and Seth only, so I don't want you touching it, you hear?"

"'Kay, Daddy!" Katy gave him a toothless grin, making Jared smile back at her adoringly. I sighed, standing up and following after Seth. I found him at the end of our driveway, looking up at the sky. The smoke rings floated up by his head, and he looked semi-content. His eyes still looked really sad.

"Hey," I said. He only glanced at me. "Sorry if I...Hit a nerve back there."

"Nah, it's cool. Just haven't thought about him like that in a long time."

"Yeah."

Quiet.

"You know...You know Mom's getting married again?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm happy for her and Charlie."

"Are you gonna start calling him '_Daddy_?'"

"No! Of course not! Why would I do that?" I asked, surprised.

"Oh. No reason."

He began a coughing fit, crouching down low to the ground and holding his cigarette away from him. My heart broke in two.

"Seth, stop!"

He coughed some more.

"I can't just stop coughing!" he snapped, his voice raspy and rough. He coughed three more times, spitting onto the ground.

"No, stop smoking. You're going to kill yourself."

"I'm not dead yet, so..."

"But you_ will_ be, so..."

"Leah, I don't need to listen to what you have to say. Just let me be me, okay?"

"But that _cough_," I whispered, and then he started into another coughing fit. I stood by and watched, a distant pain in my chest. I didn't like seeing him like this. I reached for him, but he brushed me away.

"Let me go. I'm gonna go on a walk, o_kay_?"

"Oh...Okay," I answered slowly. But he was already heading down the sidewalk towards the beach.

When everyone had left, and Jacob and Willie were occupied in the living room, I went for my own walk into the forest. I walked quietly, stepping over twigs and piles of pinecones. Finally, I felt I had made it to a good spot.

Gripping the tree for support, I bent over and stuck two fingers down my throat, enabling myself to vomit my dinner and everything else I'd eaten during the day. I fell to my knees, sweat lining my forehead. I coughed a few times, shaking out my hand.

"Leah."

I froze. Jacob.

"Look at me."

Slowly, I turned to look at him, wiping the bottom of my lip with the palm of my hand. I dropped it, seeing his look of pain and anger. He stared for a long time at the sky, looking like he was trying to hold tears back.

"I thought we were done with this," he whispered. But I don't know if he was telling me or God or someone else.

Using the tree to help me up, I got to my feet, leaning on the trunk for support. My legs always felt like they'd go out at any moment after I purged. It was just one of the many downfalls.

Jacob pressed his fingers to his temples, closing his eyes. I saw wetness under his lashes, but he shook his head, and it was gone.

I took two steps towards him and my legs gave out on me. Jake caught me by my arms, then picked me up bridal style and carried me back to the house. I gripped the shirt at his chest, closing my eyes tight.

"Don't make me go back there," I whispered shakily, referring to Carlisle and the hospital. "Please."

"Leah, I have-"

"Let me down." He put me back on my feet, and I walked wobbly into the house. When I regained my composure, I stomped the rest of the way in, slamming the door. It opened a second later when Jacob came in. He whirled me around to face him.

I lifted my hand, pulled back, and slapped him.

000000000000000000000000000000

Willie

I covered my ears, trying to escape Mom and Dad's yelling. They were fighting like this a lot lately, and I was always down the hall in my room when it happened.

It was hard to hold back the baby tears that were about to come out of my eyes, but I tried anyway. I cringed, hearing something fall and break.

More yelling.

It was getting louder.

"LEAH-"

"NO! JACOB, I'M NOT AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! I'M NEVER GOING BACK TO THAT HELL HOLE AND-"

"_THIS _IS WHY-"

And then it got just a little bit softer as the door to their bedroom slammed shut. I could hear their conversation perfectly, and it scared me. Inching off the bed, I slowly walked to the door and opened it. It creaked before it was open all the way, and I stepped out.

"YOU'RE SO FUCKING DIFFICULT, you know that?" Dad yelled. "Look at me. LOOK AT ME-"

"_I'm _difficult?! _YOU'RE _the one that's-"

I didn't want to hear it anymore. I couldn't hear it anymore. My eyes clouded with tears as I ran through the living room, stepping over a broken lamp. I rushed out the door, closing it shut behind me.

Uncle Paul was outside mowing his lawn when I came up to his and Aunt Rachel's house. He took an ear bud out of his ear, frowning when he saw me. Then he noticed that I was crying, and his face softened. I felt embarrassed that he was seeing me cry like this, but for some reason I didn't care.

"It's alright, bud. It's okay. What's wrong? Where's your parents?" he asked, hugging me. I sniffed, wiping my eyes.

"They're fighting again," I whispered.

"Paul?" Aunt Rachel called from the house. "...Willie? What happened?"

Uncle Paul took me inside, where I explained to them that Mom and Dad had been fighting for the past hour, and I was listening to them in my room.

"Someone broke a lamp this time," I whispered quietly, ignoring the lemonade Aunt Rachel had set down for me. "I'm scared. Are they gonna get divorced?"

Aunt Rachel and Uncle Paul looked at each other skeptically, and then my little cousin Bailey came downstairs, smiling when she saw me.

"Hiya, Willie! Oh, how come you cryin'?" she asked. I sniffed, wiping roughly at my face. Her twin brother Jason appeared behind her. "Jasey, Willie's cryin'!"

"How come?" he asked. He ran to me, and I looked away. "Hey, you got tears!"

"Jason, Bailey, that's enough," Aunt Rachel warned. "Go back up and play, we're talking to William right now."

"Okay..." Jason sighed, bounding back up the stairs. Bailey waved to me.

"Feel better, Willie!"

I was alone with my aunt and uncle then, and I felt more embarrassed than I did before. I pulled my legs up to my chest and laid my head down, looking out the window. Uncle Paul put a hand on my shoulder.

"They're not going to get divorced. They love each other too much to do that," he said quietly. I looked at him.

"Then why are they fighting all the time? Mom said that she doesn't want to go back to 'the hell hole' and Dad says that Mom's 'fucking difficult.' He doesn't swear. _They _don't swear. At least not around me."

Uncle Paul looked at Aunt Rachel again, and then my aunt turned to me.

"Do you know what Leah meant by...By the 'hell hole?'"

I shook my head, "Nuh-uh. She just screamed at him that she won't go back. And then _he_ said she's the reason why they can't have another baby; because she's 'doing it again.'"

A light bulb seemed to go off in Aunt Rachel's and Uncle Paul's heads because Aunt Rachel pressed a hand to her mouth, and Uncle Paul sat up slowly, looking sad. He cursed under his breath and then covered his face with his hands.

He looked up when someone knocked on the door, then Dad opened it. He looked angry and a little bit embarrassed.

"Will, come on. It's okay now."

"Jake, let him stay tonight with us. You and Leah obviously aren't...On good terms right now," Aunt Rachel said. "He shouldn't be around that."

"He's _my_..." Dad sighed roughly, looking at the ceiling. Finally he nodded. "I can go-"

"It's okay. He still has some things here," Uncle Paul said, standing up. I watched Dad follow him into the kitchen, where there was a growl. I knew they were talking, but they were only using voices that no one but them could hear.

"Come on, Willie. I was about to order some pizza. Hawaiian or pepperoni?" she asked cheerily. I sighed, before answering.

"Pepperoni."

Dad came back out of the kitchen, looking even angrier than before. He shook a little, and I suddenly felt scared. Once, I've seen him mad enough to phase. Once.

And let me tell you, I don't want to see it again.

"Jacob, go," Uncle Paul said from the kitchen door. "You know how ticked Rachel gets when you guys flip out in the house. And, really. You got your kid right there, he doesn't need to see that."

Dad looked at me, his shaking stopping. I looked down, not meeting his eyes as he walked towards me. He put a hand on my head, and I looked up at him again.

He smiled sadly, "We're gonna be alright, 'kay, kiddo? Mom and I...We're just going through a hard time right now."

"I don't need a new brother or sister. We're fine like we are," I told him, thinking that that was the problem they were always fighting about. He just smiled a little wider, a little sadder.

"Yeah, we are. Just keep Mom in your prayers, alright?"

"Why, is she sick?"

"Yeah...Yeah. And she needs help right now. The best that you can do is pray. Can you do that?"

"Mhm."

"I love you, kid. Be good."

"Love you, too, Dad."

He kissed the top of my head and left.

0000000000000000000000000000

Cheri

"Wow, Cheri, calm your tits," Nami laughed, elbowing me lightly. She dipped her spoon back into her ice cream, spooning the berry part into her mouth.

"How can I _be calm_? My d...My _uncle's _coming to visit! I've never met him before, what am I supposed to expect?! A fat, sumo wrestler? Or..." I gasped. "Maybe he's a part of some spy group, and he's coming to follow me around so he can turn me in and-"

"Stop! Stop, stop, _stop_! That's horrible!" Wynter exclaimed, her hands flying to her face. "You might jinx it and it'd happen!"

"Gosh, Winnie, I was only joking, duh," I stuck my tongue out at her. She eyed me playfully before eating a fry off my plate. For once I didn't care. I was _way _too nervous to eat.

Shouldn't he be here already?

Sam and the rest of the Pack (minus Seth, thank the _Lord_!) were all here, and Mom was cooking up a storm in the diner's kitchen.

"So, hey, I gotta bail. If I don't do this Spanish project, Teach is gonna fail me and then Dad's gonna be all anal and stuff..." Nami rolled her eyes, hugging me. "So if you need a ride, I suggest you come now."

"That'd be...All of us, actually," Tony smiled. "My sister has the car today," he explained, and I nodded thinking about his older sister Anna. Marlon nodded with a shrug.

"Cause we're bums without cars," he said, bowing down to Nami playfully. "We are forever under your control Obi Wan Gotta-Car." Wynter giggled.

"Sorry to leave you like this, Cherry-Berry," she pouted. Tony sighed, kissing me.

"Tell Homes 'good day' for me, would you?" he asked.

"Come see him! He misses you!"

"I will then. Text me."

"Duh."

"Text me, too!" Marlon grinned, jumping between Tony and me.

"And me!" Wynter laughed.

"If you forget to text me, I'll murder you in your sleep," Nami threatened evilly. I feigned horror, laughing afterwards.

"Bye, guys," I waved, watching them leave. They all hurried quickly to Nami's car, trying to keep as dry as possible. Nami honked and then pulled out, just as another car pulled forward. It parked, and a man got out. A woman got out after him, then three kids.

The woman pulled an umbrella out of her purse, opening it and holding it over her head. The three kids seemed to not care about the rain, and the man opened the door for all of them, letting them in before.

"Wow, it smells _great_," the woman complimented, shaking out her umbrella. She was pretty. I'd say...Eh...thirty-two. Thirty-three max. Her blonde hair was in a messy bun on her head.

One of the kids was a girl. About Willie's age. She had the same blonde hair as her mother, and was wearing an oversized sweater and a mini skirt. Her legs were covered with tights that had stars cut into the sides. On her feet were a pair of Timberland ankle boots, completely speck free.

This is the reason I need to stop spending all my money on junk food. Look at the way I could be dressing! Well...Not that it was _cute _or anything, but-

Eh, let's move on...

The boys were a little younger, and both had dark hair. They dressed like any boys would, in hoodies, jeans, and sneakers. They looked at each other, then burst out into laughter, making the girl roll her eyes with a small smile.

Must be an inside joke...Dammit, I hate it when I'm on the other side of these things!

The man, I stared at for a long time. I didn't get a glimpse of his face, because he turned and saw the Pack, who all jumped up and gave him 'man hugs'.

Darn it, those things were so cool! I tried to do one with Marlon, but it hurt my boobs too much, so...

"Where's...?"

"Right there, man," Sam pointed to me with a smile, and I raised my eyebrows.

"What?" I asked, then I met the man's eyes. The woman grinned happily up at him, squeezing his arm excitedly. I caught the girl's eye, and she gave me an up-down. I gave her the same up-down, deciding that my outfit of a hoodie and shorts was much cuter than hers. (Duh!) I smiled, and she smiled back.

"Hi," I waved, looking back at the man. My mouth hung open a little bit, and I looked him up and down. He smiled at me, looking a little awed.

"Hi," he said back.

"Dad, you're such a dork," the girl snorted.

"Zara, give him time, honey," the woman said. She pushed the man forward a little bit, looking like she'd cry. He fidgeted a little bit, looking unsure of what to do. I cleared my throat, bouncing on the balls of my feet.

"Heyy..." I smiled and waved awkwardly. He laughed once.

"Hey."

"So..." I huffed, gesturing elaborately to myself and clapping my hands to my sides.

"You're really pretty," the girl, Zara, said. "That's what he wants to say. Dad doesn't have too much of a way with words."

"I can see that," I nodded, laughing a bit. I opened my arms, and he continued staring at me. "This is the part...Where you hug me, Dad."

"O-oh," he cleared his throat. I pursed my lips, forgetting all the hurt and anger inside of me and running the rest of the way to him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

That hug...I suddenly felt like anything..._Everything _would be better from here on out. This was my dad. My _real dad_.

Maybe this is the reason all my birthday wishes didn't come true. All those wishes I made every year: _bring Daddy back, bring Daddy back..._

Maybe, just maybe, fate was leading up to this moment right here.

...

Either that or I'm just a shitty wisher.

**There you go home slices! Thanks for reading, and remember to review!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry if you thought that this was a new chapter, but I have to put my story on hold for a while. We are moving back to America in a few weeks, and our movers are going to be packing up all of our things...Which means my computer! :*( So, yeah. I just wanted you to know! Thank you so much for all the love, though. You're amazing!**

**And don't worry, **Little Things **will be up and running soon!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven

Cheri

"Thanks for taking me out, Dad," I said with a smile, picking up my fork. Dad smiled at me and took a sip of Sprite.

"Anytime, sweetie," he answered.

I don't know why, but my heart fluttered at the name 'sweetie.' Sure, the Pack called me that…Sometimes. And Leah, and Jacob, and Sue…But it felt different hearing it from someone else. Someone who wasn't them.

Someone who was my _actual real father_.

Lord, I still get chills every time I think about that.

"How's your pasta?" he asked me.

"Perfect," I smiled back, and ate a big forkful. I covered my mouth with my hand afterwards. "Excuse my ugly eating."

"'Ugly eating?' I don't think that there's such a thing," he chuckled.

"There is when you're fat like me," I put down my fork and sat back.

"Cheri, how could you…You're not fat, okay? If anything, I'd think you're underfed. Is Sue feeding you enough?"

I know that it was his attempt at a joke, and I did laugh. I also kicked him under the table after, too.

"Ow," I cringed. He raised his hand apologetically, as if taking the blame for something.

"Werewolf," he muttered.

"I know," I rolled my eyes. "Why do you guys have to be so damn hard all the time? Isn't there such a thing as a _soft _werewolf? For real."

Dad laughed, and I smiled, happy that I was funny to him.

"I feel like a freaking comedian. You laugh at, like, everything I say."

He laughed again, and I fist pounded the air triumphantly and laughed, too. Dad picked up his glass and took a sip, then set it back down.

"Abby and I were talking," he said, and I nodded. His wife was pretty cool. Me, her, and Zara—Dad's other daughter (Not that I'm jealous or anything. Please, how juvenile would _that _be?!)—went shopping the other day. It was nice to be able to pick out anything, and Abby would buy it.

They were just that rich.

"Yeah?" I slowly twirled my fork in my food, and then took a bite.

"Maybe you'd like to come to Kansas for a bit? Just for a little while. I mean…You don't have to, but—"

I smiled, my eyebrows raised with surprised.

"Really?!" I squealed. "You want _me _to stay in Kansas with you guys?!"

How fucking _awesome _would it be to get away from this hell hole of a small town? …And they actually want _me_!

"Just for a few weeks, or so," Dad grinned. "Abby and Zara really like you."

"I like them, too. I honestly thought having a sister would be a pain in the ass, but she's really cool for a twelve-year-old." I smiled, and he chuckled.

"'Pain in the ass', huh?"

"Oh…Did I say 'pain in the ass…?' I meant…grain on the…mass! You know, _that mass, though_," I laughed nervously.

_Fuck, did I seriously just say that?!_

He chuckled again, and I looked down.

"Why don't you continue eating, and I'll go to the bathroom, okay?" I asked. "I _really _gotta pee," I said.

"Cool. Don't fall in the toilet."

"That would be smart," I pointed at him and nodded. He laughed again and I walked to the bathroom, taking my phone out of my pocket.

_Hey, hey girlfriend! _–Nami

I texted her (being very careful to call my dad my uncle), _uncle Kaden wants me to stay with him in Kansas for a few weeks!_

I went into the stall and did my business, then walked back out after flushing. Nami had texted me back.

_That's cool! You're lucky you get to get away from the rez for a bit though_ –Nami

_I'll be sure to get plenty of Kansas key chains for you and the ratchets! :P _I texted back with a smile. After that, I slid my phone into my pocket and washed my hands. Afterwards, I looked into the mirror and fixed a few fly-away hair pieces. I brushed away a little chunk of mascara and just as I was about check my nose for boogers, I noticed that the third stall was open.

All of the other stalls automatically close after you leave them.

The third stall was open, and someone was leaning against the door.

I focused in on a drop dead gorgeous face, completely blemish free.

Whoa, must be a dermatologist, or something.

I almost said it out loud, but I couldn't. Our eyes were locked in the mirror, and her blood red orbs stared deep into mine with such an intensity it was hard to look away.

And I felt like I knew her. I _know _her.

Still keeping eye contact with me, she pushed off of the door and walked to the sink next to me. She didn't wash her hands, though. She turned and stared right at me.

I swallowed as memories from my past came flooding back into my mind.

"Natalie," I muttered. She grinned.

"I knew you'd remember me."

That was when she pressed a cloth to my face. I thrashed around, trying to get her away. But the cloth smelled funny, and I slowly began to stop fighting. My eyes began to droop closed and I felt weak.

Like weaker than Marlon trying to twerk weak.

Only it wasn't the laughing kind. It was the _Oh-Fuck-I'm-Passing-Out _kind.

And I did. Pass out, I mean.

Well. I guess this is the night bitches die.

0000000000000000000000000000

Leah

"Carlisle said to take these. He doesn't want you to end up like the last time," Jacob muttered, and the next thing I knew a bottle of pills was in my face. I turned away, and Jacob sighed. "I don't want to fight with you anymore, Leah."

"Then go," I whispered.

"Do you want to die? Is that what you want? Do you want to go before your time? Take the pills, dammit!"

"How does he know those won't come back up, too?"

"Because…He's…Fuck, Leah, you're so difficult!" he placed his hands on his head and looked up. "But I love you too much to give up, okay? So…B-before I flip a shit, I'm going to set this bottle of pills right here. I will also put a granola bar here, too. Now, I'm going to go on patrol. Feel free to eat until you burst. Just don't…_Dear God _please don't…Puke. Okay?"

"No promises," I muttered, turning away. I glanced at him, noticing that he looked like he really didn't want to leave me. Finally, I heard him close the door, and leave.

For a good eight minutes I sat in that spot. Then I got up and went to the kitchen.

And I ate until I felt I was going to burst.

And…_Dear God_, I puked.

I put two fingers down my throat, and I emptied out my stomach because it made my anxiety go away. And after that I went to sit back down in my spot. And I stared at the granola bar and bottle of nutrition pills on the coffee table.

An hour or so later, Jacob came back. I looked up at him, and he looked at me and then at the objects that were still lying patiently on the table. I returned my eyes to the ground, not wanting to meet his eyes.

He'd know for sure.

"I'm not stupid. I…" He paused. "I know what you did. Paul told me."

"Oh, so now you have _spies _watching our house?"

"It's not like that, Leah, I-"

"Oh, I suppose he just so happened to be _walking by_, or something?! Yeah, because that's totally believable, Jacob."

"Leah-"

"Oh! I know, he was just stopping by to-"

"LEAH, HE WAS TRYING TO BRING WILLIE BACK OVER, DAMMIT! He thought that it'd make you feel better if you spent some time with your son," he said slowly. "Paul didn't want Will to see that," Jacob's eyes glossed over, and he swallowed hard. "He had to go and lie…He had to lie that no one was home."

I sat back down, suddenly noticing that I was standing up.

"He saw you through the window just as you bent over the sink," Jacob sat down and his head fell into his hands. "Dammit, Lee, I hate this. Why are you doing this again? You were doing so good. You were…You were doing so good," he started to cry.

I pulled my legs up to my chest and laid my head on my knees.

"Even if it's just for a while, it makes me feel better," I answered quietly after a few minutes. "I feel…I feel like just for a little bit everything will get better after I get rid of all the old. But then I'm kicked back down again. And I start over."

Jacob sniffed, "God, Leah, I love you. I love you so damn much, you know? But you can't keep this up. You can't keep doing this to yourself, okay?"

"Mhm."

"I lost my Mom when I was ten. I'm thirty-two, Leah, and it wasn't until recently that I got over it. You're my imprint, my wife…Mother of my _son_, and the love of my life. I don't know how long it'd take me to get over losing _you_," his voice cracked into a whisper, and he rubbed his temples.

"I'm scared to get better again."

"I swear, we're going to get through this, okay? Together. Remember that."

"No feeding tubes this time," I said, my voice quivering. "Please."

"Of course. I don't ever want that to happen again," he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me onto his lap. He kissed my cheek. "Never again."

I turned to kiss him, but my door banged open. Seth stood there, looking frantic.

"Cheri's been kidnapped."

000000000000000000000000000

Cheri

I've never been so scared in my life.

I'm going to die here. I know it.

It's so dark, and so cold. I can't call anyone; my cell phone's gone.

My body feels so…So like…Stiff and rigid. With all the strength I had, I managed to scoot myself against a wall I can't see.

I raised a hand to my face and brushed my hair back, feeling my body begin to shake with sobs.

I leaned forward and began crawling around, not knowing where I was going.

"Help!" I screeched. "Help me, please! Natalie's…" I sobbed some more. "Natalie's back! Help!"

I fell onto the floor; my body was so weak. I sobbed into the ground.

Suddenly, I felt light on myself, and I sniffed and looked up slowly. The silhouette of a woman was standing in a doorway. Her heels clacked against the floor as she walked towards me; with each step, another light came on.

With one swift tug she pulled me up and threw me onto a chair.

I heard the _ding _of a camera, and turned to see Natalie bent over and putting on lipstick. There was a wire going from the camera to a computer, which was plugged into an outlet in the wall.

"I've decided to finish what your uncle started," she said, smacking her lips together. She grinned, still staring into the camera. She fluffed out her hair.

"Took me twelve years to grow the balls to do it, though. But now…" She stood up and turned. "Here I am!" she grinned at me. But then, just as quickly as it came the grin vanished.

"I've decided to try a new tactic. Instead of using someone to gain your trust and friendship…I've decided to lure your little wolves over here…With _you_. Brilliant, isn't it?"

Stupidly, I asked, "What's with the camera?"

"Ooh, wonderful question! Boys?"

Natalie turned and looked at the door as three men came in. Their faces were just as beautiful as hers…Eyes even redder.

"Don't hurt her too badly. She's still a _human _you know."

One of them grinned. My heart pounded as another one walked behind me and pulled the chair out from under my body. I landed on the ground with a smack, and I heard Natalie's heels clicking away. A few lights turned off except for the one on me and the three vampires.

"She looks so delicious. I want to bite her."

"We can't. Natalie's orders."

I was picked up and thrown back on the ground.

I cried out in pain, and tears streamed down my cheeks. After that I was punched, kicked, and thrown around more like a rag doll. My whole body was numb, and my limbs felt bigger than they were before. They throbbed over and over again, and I felt blood oozing down the side of my face.

The vampires left after that, but I knew that they'd be back again.

I lay on the ground, unable to move. Even so, I turned my head towards the camera, who's red light was still on to signify that it was still recording.

What it was for, I didn't know. But still, I stared into it silently, sniffing and crying.

She would probably give it to the Pack after I was dead.

It would probably be the only thing they had left of me.

000000000000000000000000000000

Seth

"_How the fuck do you let her get _kidnapped_?!" _I growled, gnashing my teeth at Kaden. He looked away guiltily.

"_She went to bathroom, okay? I asked for the check, paid, and waited for her to come back. That's when I saw something out the window. There was this…I dunno, this lady walking into the forest, and she had Cheri hoisted over her back. And I did what any father would do, I ran out to catch them. And then-"_

"_What the fuck kind of father are you?!" _I growled, pacing the ground. Sam barked at me.

"_Calm down. He didn't mean for it to happen."_

"_Oh, so now you're taking _his _side. After he's only showed up for, what?, three days now, and you treat him like nothing's happened!" _

"_Kid, calm down. I don't feel like breaking up another fight," _Jared rolled his eyes.

"_Guys! Guys, Emily's freaking out. This weird thing just popped up on the computer, and it's a video of Cher!" _Quil exclaimed. I glanced at Kaden before phasing and pulling my clothes back on. After that, I ran to the house as fast as I could.

Emily was crying on the couch, turned away from the computer on its desktop. I sat down in the chair and stared at Cheri laid on the ground. She was crying…And bruised, busted up all over.

"Cher!" I cried stupidly, knowing good and well that she most likely couldn't hear me. Suddenly, there were sharp taps and a woman's body appeared in view. She pulled Cheri up onto a chair.

"_Sit up," _she snapped. I swallowed, watching as Cheri tried desperately to sit up. "_Sit up_!" the woman slapped her, and I growled. Someone placed a hand on my shoulder.

I watched as the woman walked closer to the camera and picked up something off to the side. I got a glimpse of her face.

"T-t-that's that vampire. That one that Jazmyn used to be with," I said, pointing to her. I felt a stab of pain in my heart at the thought of my dead imprint, but willed myself to stay watching the screen.

Natalie turned, facing the camera. It seemed she was staring straight at me as she lifted her arm and pointed a gun straight at Cher's head.

"No. No, no, no, no," I started to shake. Natalie pulled the trigger, but it just clicked.

The safety was still on.

My head fell into my hands in relief.

I heard laughing, "_Just kidding_," she said. "_Listen up, dogs. I'm giving you three days to grow a pair and turn yourselves in to me. It's either you die, or…Baby Cheri over here does._"

I watched as Natalie picked up Cher by her chin then let go roughly.

"We don't even know where they are," Jared growled. "How does she-"

"_Hint one. The light definitely don't shine here_," she grinned. "_Three hints for every day, puppies. But if you haven't figured out where we are by the third…Bang. Baby's dead. And we'll just pick you off one by one until you're all alone._"

She stuck the gun into her back pocket and turned to her left, her eyes following another vampire as he walked over towards Cheri.

"_Oh, and did I mention the motivation_?" Natalie giggled. "_She's all yours, Romeo_." Her heels clacked away, and the vampire left with Cheri moved her hair away. He leaned down and licked her. All the way up to her ear.

I couldn't bring myself to watch what would happen next. I had to leave.

I heard Cheri whimper, but then she went silent.

"_Wakey, wakey, Juliet_," he chuckled maniacally. I growled and turned, just as the camera turned off.

"We need to find her. We need to find her fast," I said. With that, I stood up and left the house.

00000000000000000000000000

Cheri

My whole body was numb as the vampire from earlier licked my skin all over. I couldn't feel any muscles. Not a finger…Not a _toe _moved. The only thing I did was cry.

I knew what he was going to do.

And I was silent. I didn't move a muscle.

I didn't even cry as the vampire pushed me to the ground and raped me.


End file.
